Tombstone, AZ

“Town Too Tough to Die!”

PC: William Gill, Gillfoto

I remember the first time I visited Tombstone in sixth grade. It reminded me of the third Back to the Future where Doc and Marty are trapped in the Old West. Imagine gunslingers, cowboys, outlaws and more. That’s what you will find in Tombstone, Arizona.

Tombstone, Arizona is the place to visit if you are a fan of Western movies. This Old West town, with its authentic appeal, is home of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the Clanton Brothers as well as the Boothill Graveyard, the Bird Cage Theatre and the O.K. Corral (1). Ed Schieffelin established this infamous boomtown (2). He would venture off from his group and they would say to him “Ed, the only stone you’ll find out there will be your tombstone,” hence the name (2). Tombstone was originally established as a silver mining town in the late 1870s after the stone Ed stumbled upon was silver (1), (2). Two fires swept through the town, one in 1881 from a cigar lighting up a whiskey barrel and another in 1882 (2). The town rebuilt itself, but several of the original buildings still stand today.

It takes approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes to drive to Tombstone, Arizona (Google Maps). Because of the distance, driving would be your best option. Unfortunately, there are no direct shuttles to Tombstone from the Phoenix area. The best one can do is take a bus or shuttle to Tucson, but then you will have to drive to Tombstone via car.

Historical Places to See

The Bird Cage Theatre is still standing to this day. It was a saloon, theater, gambling hall, and brother that no respectable woman in town would enter (2). The New York Times reported it as the “wildest, wickedest night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast” (2). Named after the bird cage-like compartments hanging from the ceiling that housed the ladies of the that night’s entertainment, it ran 24 hours and 7 days a week for 8 years (2). Nowadays, the Bird Cage Theatre offers nighttime ghost tours for $25 and daily self-guided tours for $14 (4). It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (3).

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Boothill Graveyard or the Old Cemetery is also located in Tombstone. It is named after Dodge City’s cemetery in order to attract tourists, but the legends claim it was because so many violent deaths occurred that the residents had to be buried in their boots (2). Famous Tombstone residents rest in these graves, including the victims of the Earps and the Cowboys Fremont Street shoot out (2). Unfortunately, it was abandoned for years, overgrown by the desert or mismarked by vandals (2). It costs $3 to enter the Boothill Graveyard (3). It is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (3).

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The O.K. Corral shootout is one of the most famous Tombstone events (2). Actually occurring on Fremont Street, on October 26, 1881, the Cochise County Cowboys ran into Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp and Doc Holliday (2). In 24 seconds, 30 shots went off and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury were mortally wounded (2). This famous gunfight is thought to be what keeps the town of Tombstone alive, bringing in tourists to see this site (2). Present day, you can visit the O.K Corral and witness a reenactment of the gunfight (3). The O.K. Corral complex is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the gunfights occurring at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. (5). Admission costs $6 without the gunfight and is $10 with the gunfight (5).

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Other Attractions

• Big Iron Shooting Gallery – shoot real COLT 45 caliber Cowboy Guns for $5 (3)

• Gunfighter and Ghost Tours – a history packed, paranormal walking tour at 6 p.m. for $30 (6)

• The Good Enough Mine Tours – a fully narrated tour through the silver mines from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $15 (3), (7).

• Old Butterfield Stage Coach – a 20-minute narrated tour of the history of Tombstone for $10 (3)

• Wyatt Earp’s Oriental Saloon and Theater – pays homage to folk that lived and died in Old West Arizona (3)

• Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park – a museum about the town, open 9 a.m to 5 p.m. with an admission fee of $7 (8)

• Old Time Photo Studios – for all your fun photo pleasure, check out these shops: Can Can Old Time Photos, Madame Mustache, and Lady L’s Creations (3)

"Plan your Tombstone adventure soon! History awaits you!" (2)