Dewey

Formed September 22, 1891 (12^th county)

Dewey County (4,481), Taloga (288), Seiling (853)

The Modern 2010 masonry and concrete courthouse replaced a 1926 structure in this small town.  It was built at the corner of Broadway (United States Highway 183) and Ruble Street.  Architects in Partnership provided the designs. There was also an 1895 courthouse in Taloga, the only county seat, since the September 22, 1891 organization as the 12^th county.  The county’s name comes from Admiral George Dewey.  The county came from the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation.  Taloga means “beautiful valley” in Native American. 

Dewey County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an assessor, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Fourteen District Court Judges serve Dewey, Alfalfa, Blaine, Garfield, Grant, Kingfisher, Major, Woods and Woodward counties and a court clerk serves Dewey County (judicial.)  The county is in northwest Oklahoma to the northwest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The county center is 1.3 miles South of Taloga.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Major, Blaine, Custer, Roger Mills, Ellis, and Woodward counties. 

The area of the county is 1000 square miles.  It is 21 out of 77 in the state.  It ranks 71 out of 77 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.5 persons per square mile making it 71 out of 77 in the state.  Dewey County has 54.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 60 comes in from the north but goes out to the west, Major County to Ellis County.  United States Highway 183 goes from Woodward County on the north into Custer County on the south.  United States Highway 270 enters from Blaine County, east, and crosses diagonally into the southwest corner of Major County.  United States Highway 281 enters jointly with United States Highway 270 from Blaine County, splits with United States Highway 270, and exits separately to the north into Major County.  The county is rectangular with the Canadian River crossing from west to southeast.  Taloga is located slightly north of center in the county.  Seiling is located on the northern border of the county.  Taloga is the county seat and Seiling is the largest city.  Taloga is 6.4% of the county population while Seiling is 19.0% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced TA-LOG-A.  The largest city is pronounced SEE-LING.

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