Tombstone, Arizona June 2007

Tombstone, Arizona June 2007

Sandy and I had honeymooned in Tombstone (yeah I know, some people think that is pretty weird) and we just love it there, so back we went to again walk the streets of the old west. Although it is officially known as a ghost town, it is far from being abandoned. Rather, restaurants, saloons and shops fill every building on the main street, which is known as Allen Street. Of course, the OK Corral is still there, site of the famous shootout between the Earp brothers (along with Doc Holliday) and the Clanton cowboys. A number of the buildings are original or have been rebuilt to be original. The Oriental Saloon, where Wyatt Earp dealt faro and the historic Crystal Palace right across the street are pretty much the way they were in 1882.

We stayed just down the hill from town in the Tombstone RV Park & Resort. It is a pretty sparse place, but nice enough I suppose. When you are visiting in June as we did, you don't spend a lot of time outside in the park anyway. Temperatures were well above 100 degrees during the day. Here is a picture of Boldlygo in the park. Also notice our trusty tow vehicle in the background:

The Oriental Saloon:

The Crystal Palace Saloon:One of the most historical buildings in the town (in my opinion) is the Birdcage Theatre. This building is virtually unchanged in the last 120 years. Even the decorations are still there. They are not exactly in pristine condition, but they are original. There are numerous bullet holes in the place, including in the ceiling and in some of the woodwork. They have the original faro table where Doc Holliday plied his gambling trade. Although the Birdcage Theater is depicted in the movie 'Tombstone' starring Kurt Russell, the Birdcage is not old enough to have been around when Wyatt Earp first hit town. Regardless, walking through this building and looking at the many historical items really takes one back to a different time. Here are a couple of shots of the Birdcage Theater:

The OK Corral:

Of course, no visit to Tombstone would be complete without a trip to Boot Hill. Make sure to visit the old courthouse while in town. This is the same structure that was standing when Wyatt Earp was acquitted of all charges in the OK Corral incident. Also, we recommend two of the eateries in town. The OK Cafe is good for breakfast and the Longhorn is a nice place for lunch and dinner. We are planning another trip to Tombstone sometime in 2009. Stay tuned for that update!!