TOMBSTONE ARIZONA, "The Town too tough to die", established 1879. Some history and lore.

Welcome Steenian friends to the great American Southwest. I intend to do some writing on this beautiful area so packed with history as well as scenic splendor. We spent (until relocating) to Florida's West coast recently, 9 fantastic years in Tucson Arizona, about 75 miles north of Tombstone. Of course, summers are spent in our "native" Upstate NY Saratoga area.

wikipedia.com

When arriving in Tucson in the fall of 2008, I could not get to Tombstone fast enough. I was always drawn to the west in my heart. Even as a kid I could not get enough of "westerns" in movies and on TV. While in this part of America I visited and read everything I could get my hands on about Wyatt Earp, Doc Hiolliday, The O.K. corral, Boot Hill.

Of course we'll write on Geronimno and Cochise soon. These are two great Native-Americans who valiantly fought to save the way of life that was theirs long before the US expansion in the homeland. That is for later.

courtesy Christina Cullom-dodd.

Prospector Ed Schieffelin in 1879 founded Tombstone. By 1885 14,000 inhabitted the silver boom town; up from 100 original inhabitants seven years prior.
photo below: collumb-Dodd

Tombstone 1881: wikipedia.

Photo: cullomb-dodd.

Can you imagine 110 salloons and 4 gambling halls.?

photos:cullomb-dodd.

See above, photos of "boot hill" where some of the citizens of the past are burried, include the "out-laws."
Also, see Wyatt Earp who arrive in 1880 to help tame the wild town. He was really interested in making money as a miner and gambler. He did do "law-keeping", as Marshall. See below the photo of Val-Kilmer in the great movie (1993). He played Doc-Holliday, the gunfighter and gambler even though suffering from tuberculosis. Holliday and Earp were great friends to the end.

Today Tombstone is a tourist attraction. It does have a population of about 1300, having recoverred from almost becoming a ghost town in the 1920's. See the photo of "gunfighters who re-enact the gunfight of the OK Corral every day.

Tombstone today...photo: cullomb-Dodd.

Thanks for visitng. Your UPVOTE IS APPRECIATED.