Tombstone Arizona & The OK Corral
Who hasn’t watched the movie “Tombstone” or a western set in, or at the very least, mentioning Tombstone, Arizona?
I can’t wait to visit Tombstone: the town that wouldn’t die. It still has a population of over 1300 people today! It was even the county seat of Cochise County in its heyday.
Originally called Goose Flats, it became a boom town in 1877 after Ed Schieffelin found silver there and fortune hunters flocked there in hopes of digging up their own fortunes. Goose Flats was quickly renamed Tombstone and became the home of outlaws, gun fighters, prostitutes and all the lower forms of human life.
HOW TOMBSTONE GOT ITS NAME
“In 1877, the City of Tombstone was founded by Ed Schieffelin. At the time, there was a scouting voyage in Tombstone against the Chiricahua (chir-i-cow-uh) Apaches. Ed was part of this mission and was staying at a place called Camp Huachuca (wa-chu-ka) . During his stay, he would leave the camp to look for rocks within the wilderness despite the fact that fellow soldiers at his camp warned him not to.
The soldiers told him that he wouldn’t find stones out in the wilderness and would only eventually find his own tombstone. Fortunately, for Ed, he did not find his tombstone, but he did find something: silver.”
https://tombstonechamber.com/about/tombstone-history/
At its peak Tombstone was the fastest growing city between San Francisco and St. Louis! There were once over 100 saloons, a huge red light district, churches, schools, newspapers, restaurants and one of the original Arizona community swimming pools, which is still used today!
One of the best known houses of sin in Tombstone was the “Bird Cage Theatre.” “The New York Times said that this theater was the wickedest and wildest night spot between the Barbary Coast (North Africa) and Basin Street, (New Orleans) which isn’t far from the truth since 140 alleged bullet holes can still be seen in the ceiling and the walls.”
The Clantons, Earps, Bat Masterson, & Doc Holliday frequented the “Bird Cage Saloon.” “The basement was set up as a poker room and where the story is told that the longest-running poker game in history was played there. This game was played 24 hours, and apparently lasted eight years, five months, & three days, with over 10 million dollars exchanging hands.” (The house got 10% of the winnings.) The “Bird Cage” is open once again to tourists and gives one a glimpse into the past.
Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone is the final resting place for all of the town’s hanging, lynching, and shootout victims, including some of those shot at the OK Corral. The number of graves is estimated at 276, many of which are unmarked.
“Boothill (Cemetery) was in fact named after the pioneer cemetery in Dodge City hopefully helping tourism in the late 1920s. Many individuals from Tombstone are in this cemetery, including victims from a shootout that took place in 1881 between the Cowboys and Earps on Fremont Street. For years, though, the cemetery was neglected. It was taken over by the desert and gravestones were removed by vandals. Some began to clean up The Old Cemetery in the 1920s and doing research so that the grave markers could be properly replaced.”
https://tombstonechamber.com/about/tombstone-history/
Of course, the main attraction today in Tombstone is the re-enactment of the famous shootout at the “OK Corral” which takes place several times every day.
“On the cold afternoon of October 26, 1881, four men in long black coats strode purposefully down the dusty Fremont Street. Around the corner, in a narrow vacant lot behind the O.K. Corral, waited six cowboys. In a fateful thirty seconds, nearly thirty shots were fired at close range. The gunbattle between the Earps – lead by Marshal Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt and Morgan and their friend, Doc Holliday – and the Clanton-McLaury gang left Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers dead and Virgil, Morgan, and Doc wounded.”
https://tombstonechamber.com/about/tombstone-history/
WYATT EARP WAS BORN IN MY HOMETOWN, MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS
Point of interest: Wyatt Earp was born in my hometown of Monmouth, Illinois, and we actually know some of his relatives. Earp is still a very common name around Monmouth, Illinois!
“Tour the town like a cowboy on a horse-drawn vehicle such as a covered wagon or stagecoach with Old Tombstone Historical Tours. Stop by the nearby Tombstone Epitaph Museum, dedicated to the state’s oldest newspaper, to learn how the paper’s editor, John Philip Clum, help (sic) capture Geronimo and why Clum enlisted the help of Wyatt Earp.” https://traveltips.usatoday.com/things-tombstone-az-kids-102018.html
You can also tour an old silver mine called “The Good Enough Mine” that opened in 1879 and takes you over 100’ below the surface. The tour takes about 45 minutes and you will have to be able to do stairs. It isn’t a tour for those with bad knees.
“The Tombstone “Epitaph” paper was founded in 1880 by John Philip Clum. It was the local newspaper of the day and covered the stories that today comprise Tombstone’s history. One of the first big stories was the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Today, it still publishes regularly and is written as if it were back in the olden days-and is known for being the oldest continuously published newspaper in the state. It is designed to be fun and entertaining, while portraying the history of the Old West.
The Epitaph Museum is a free attraction in Tombstone, and visitors can see printing techniques of the 1880s. The original press is on display.”
“For a different take on the gunfight at the OK Corral, swing by the Old Tombstone Western Theme Park. Here, you’ll find a fun and not so serious take on what really happened.
Costumed actors have a good time drawing out the laughs from the audience with their antics and stunts. The Old Tombstone Western Theme Park is perfect for the entire family, some of the highlights include the 17-hole (yes 17, not 18!) miniature golf course, a Shootin’ Gallery, a train museum, an opportunity to pan for gold, and a jailhouse where you can be photographed in the slammer.
This is one of the most popular attractions in town; consider booking in advance with a ticket to the Gunfight Show at the Western Theme Park.”
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/tombstone-us-az-ts.htm
There are several themed hotels that give a feel for the old west for a stay in one of Arizona’s most interesting old cities. Tombstone is high on my list of places in our state to visit in the very near future. It is only 221 miles away from Buckeye and only takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes to drive. I can’t wait to visit.
As a footnote, I am told that one who visits Tombstone should also make a point to see the nearby (about an hour away) Mission San Xavier del Bac. The original mission burned down, but the mission that survives today was built between 1783 and 1797, which makes it the oldest European structure in Arizona.
For questions or comments write mark@markhowerter.com