Tombstone

Tombstone is located in Cochise County of southeast Arizona, 70 miles southeast of Tucson, 20 miles east of the San Pedro River and 15 miles southwest of the Dragoon Mountains. Tombstone is world renowned for its mining history and the "Gunfight at the OK Corral" in 1881, between the Earp brothers -- Wyatt, Morgan and Virgil -- and the Clantons, Frank and Tom McLowery.

Tombstone, Arizona, often called is the most famous of Arizona's old mining camps. The Southeast region of Arizona was acquired from Mexico by the Gadsden Purchase on December 30, 1853. When Ed Schieffelin arrived at Camp Huachuca in 1877 and wandered off to prospect nearby, his comrades told him he would find his tombstone before finding silver.

When Ed staked his first claim, he named it "Tombstone." He made claim to Toughnut, Lucky Cuss and Contention mines where he found silver and ore. In January 1879 the Tombstone Mill and Mining Company was established and in April of 1879 the first house was built on the corner of Fourth Street and Allen Street by J. B. Allen, in which he managed and owned a store.

When rumors of the rich strikes made the mining camp a boom town, the settlement adopted Ed's name. In December 1879, Tombstone was incorporated as a village by the vote of the people and William A. Harwood became the first mayor. In March, 1880 the first railroad from Tombstone to Tucson was completed. Over the next 7 years, the mines produced millions of dollars in silver and gold, before underground water forced suspension of mining activities.

During this time, with thousands of treasure hunters seeking to strike it rich, Tombstone gained a reputation as a town steeped in violence and lawlessness. This reputation culminated with the infamous Earp-Clanton Gunfight at the O.K. Corral October 26, 1881.

By 1881 Tombstone's population was between 6,000 and 7,000 people. In January, the first telegraph was connected to all points of the Tombstone region and the same month, Cochise County, where Tombstone resides, was created making Tombstone an officially incorporated city. Virgil Earp, the brother of former Marshal Wyatt Earp, became the Chief of Police on July 4, 1881 and on October 26, 1881 the Gunfight at the OK Corral took place, killing Tom McLowery, Frank McLowery and Billy Clanton.

In January 1902 the first electric lights and telephone system for Tombstone were in place. In 1910 the price of silver had dropped to 50 cents per ounce, and by 1930 the County Seat was be moved to Bisbee. Tombstone's survived of the Great Depression and two devastating fires, along with the flooding of the mines through the restoration of its many historic buildings and through the daily tourism that make Tombstone known as "The Town Too Tough To Die.".

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Title graphic by Miss Kitty, Graphics Manger
The Wild Frontier