Tombstone, AZ

Motels in Tombstone

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Location / Description

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.

Population / Elevation

1,220 people / 4,540 feet above sea level

Weather / Climate

Situated at an elevation of 4,540 feet in the Sonoran Desert, Tombstone's year round climate is rather mild,  from winter overnight lows in the 20s to summer daytime highs in the 90s. Tombstone receives about 13 inches of precipitation annually.

Tombstone, Arizona - Monthly Climate Normals
	Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	77.3	61.4	64.8	68.9	78.1	86.8	94.7	93.7	90.9	89.1	81.4	70.7	62.6
Low °F	49.4	33.6	35.8	38.9	45.4	53.2	61.3	65.4	64.0	60.5	61.5	40.9	40.5
Avg °F	63.4	47.5	50.3	53.9	61.8	70.0	78.0	79.6	77.5	74.8	71.5	55.8	51.8
Rain "	13.94	0.80	0.56	0.60	0.27	0.13	0.44	3.77	34.25	1.22	0.62	0.36	0.75

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History

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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Things To Do

While visiting Tombstone, tourists find themselves stepping back into the past as they witness re-enactments at the OK Corral or take a stroll along the boardwalks on Allen Street where the Bird Cage Theater, Big Nose Kate's or The Crystal Palace some of Tombstone's best known saloons and tourist attractions still stand. 

Bird Cage Theater

The Bird Cage Theater, a saloon and dance hall, opened in 1881, and during its brief 9-year life, was one of the most famous saloons in the country. It was named for the 14 "bird cage" crib compartments that hang from the ceiling. These "cribs," really nothing more than small rooms, were for "ladies of the evening" who used these cribs to entertain their clients.

The saloon was the site of 16 gunfights, and bullet holes riddle the walls and floors. The Bird Cage closed in 1889 when the mines that were the source of Tombstone's wealth flooded with underground streams, and Tombstone's population trickled away.

The Theater was boarded up completely intact and stayed closed for over 50 years, until it was reopened in 1934, with everything inside preserved in its original state. Even the coin-operated juke box still works.

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park

The courthouse was built in 1882 at a cost nearly $50,000. But when the county seat moved from Tombstone to Bisbee in 1929, the grand old building faced an uncertain future. The building stood vacant until 1955, when the Tombstone Restoration Commission acquired it. It opened as a state park in 1959.

Kartchner Caverns State Park

This splendid, living cave, located only 30 minutes north of Tombstone.

Events Calendar

• March: Territorial Days
• April: Rose Festival
• May: Wyatt Earp Days
• June: Balloon Festival
• July: Fourth of July Celebration
• August: Vigilante Days
• September: Rendezvous of Gunfighters
• October: Helldorado Days
• November: Emmet Kelley Jr. Days
• December: Notorious Clanton Gang Days

Camping & RV Parks

Public and private campgrounds and RV accommodations are located nearby. For more information, contact:

• Tombstone Office of Tourism
  P.O. Box 917, Tombstone, AZ 85638
  800-457-3423
  
• Arizona State Parks 602-542-4174
• Arizona National Forests 800-280-CAMP

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Resources & Nearby Attractions

Resources

• Related Books & Gifts: Trading Post
• Wyatt Earp
• Nellie Cashman (The Angel of Tombstone)
• Ghosts, Phantoms & Apparitions of Our Haunted Deserts
• Hotel Reservations
  

Cities & Towns

• Tucson, Arizona: 73 miles northwest.
• Willcox, Arizona: 59 miles northeast.
• Sierra Vista, Arizona: 24 miles west.
• Benson, Arizona: 27 miles north.
• Bisbee, Arizona: 24 miles south.
• Nogales, Arizona: 66 miles southwest.
• Douglas, Arizona: 49 miles southeast.
• Sonoita, Arizona: 35 miles west.

Parks & Monuments

• Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
• Coronado National Memorial: 44 miles southwest.
• Fort Bowie National Historic Site: 95 miles east.
• Chiricahua National Monument: 103 miles east.
• Saguaro National Monument (East): 68 miles northwest.
• Kartchner Caverns State Park: 30 miles north.

Recreation & Wilderness Areas

• Cochise National Recreation Area: 60 miles east.
• Madera Recreation Area: 51 miles west.
• Coronado National Forest: 35 miles west.
• San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area: 11 miles west.

Historic & Points of Interest

• Birdcage Theater
• Boothill Graveyard
• Historama
• Museum of the West
• OK Corral
• Camillus Fly Studio
• Rose Tree Inn Museum
• Schieffelin Hall