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"The town too tough to die" |
 No trip to Arizona could possibly be complete without a visit to historic Tombstone, a town steeped in the romance and glory days of the Old West.The ghosts of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Big Nose Kate and the Clantons seem to lurk around every corner on Allen Street where wooden boardwalks evoke memories of those long ago days immortalized in countless westerns and television series. |
 Shade trees lined the streets in those early days, and the south side of the street, where the outlaws and gamblers hung out, was referred to as the "shady side of town." The boardwalks were originally intended to protect the pedestrians from the muddy roadway. Today Allen Street is a boomtown of a different sort. Souvenier-hunting tourists will find a mother lode of Western and Native American memorabilia in its unique galleries and shops and can fully explore the heritage and artifacts of the West in its many museums. |
 Shoppers can select outfits from an extensive selection of gay '90's and Old West costumes and have their portraits taken by photographers who specialize in old-fashioned Western-style pictures.The legends of the Old West come to life daily with the colorful wild-West shows and re-enactments of the famous gun-fight at the OK Corral. Horse-drawn stagecoach rides through the town are offered continuously. Saloon girls and cowboys provide atmosphere at the local bars and restaurants adding to the old west ambiance. |
 The Bird Cage Theatre, the world famous Crystal Palace Saloon (above), and Big Nose Kate's, named for Doc Holliday's girlfriend, provide great places to kick back and enjoy the flavor of a bygone era. Kate was supposed to have been the first prostitute in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. She and Holliday traveled the West together after she helped him break out of jail in Texas, supporting themselves with his gambling and her colorful profession. |
 For history buffs, the 1882 Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park houses a treasure trove of information on this once-thriving silver mining town founded by prospector Ed Schieffelin. There are many other historic attractions including the Rose Tree Inn, home of the 8,600 square foot rose tree purported to be the largest in the world. The structure was originally built in 1880 to house the Viniza Mining Company. The rose tree was planted when the building was converted to a hotel in 1885. |
 Other FAMOUS attractions include Boot Hill Cemetery, know as the final resting place for the good, bad and innocent, the Tombstone Epitaph Museum where the famous newspaper was published, Tombstone's Historama and the Tombstone Art Gallery. Located about 60 miles southeast of Tucson in Cochise County, Tombstone has a variety of accommodations, including motels, bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds and RV Parks. There are also several outlying guest ranches. |
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| Photos by Vicki L. Watson and Terri Horton |
| Story Excerpts from Discover Southern Arizona 2005 |
Tombstone 