Tombstone, Arizona

Want to see a reenactment and visit the site of the famous Gunfight at the OK Corral? Love the old wild west? Enjoy visiting a saloon and walking on boardwalks? Then Tombstone, Arizona is the place for you.

From Wikipedia: “The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a 30-second shootout between lawmen and members of a loosely organized group of outlaws called the Cowboys that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. It is generally regarded as the most famous shootout in the history of the American Wild West. The gunfight was the result of a long-simmering feud, with Cowboys Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury on one side and town Marshal Virgil Earp, Special Policeman Morgan Earp, Special Policeman Wyatt Earp, and temporary policeman Doc Holliday on the other side. All three Earp brothers had been the target of repeated death threats made by the Cowboys, who objected to the Earps’ interference in their illegal activities. Billy Clanton and both McLaury brothers were killed. Ike Clanton claimed that he was unarmed and ran from the fight, along with Billy Claiborne. Virgil, Morgan, and Doc Holliday were wounded, but Wyatt Earp was unharmed. The shootout has come to represent a period of the American Old West when the frontier was virtually an open range for outlaws, largely unopposed by law enforcement officers who were spread thin over vast territories.”

Tombstone’s full of history

History is alive in Tombstone, located about a 1.5 hour drive south east from Tucson. In addition to the reenactments, there are horse and carriage rides and period dressed actors. You can visit the sight of the gunfight. There numerous gift shops and eating establishments. You can also visit historical buildings from the 1880’s, including the Courthouse, Birdcage Theatre and Town Hall. The town is a little touristy, but the historical value is worth the trip.