Tombstone

Whatever you want to call it, the feisty little town of Tombstone in southern Arizona exemplifies the spirit of the Old West. Every Arizonan should visit this town at least once for the history lessons and the entertainment that come along with it because it has more than 137 years of history that would make a good movie. As one of the last genuine frontier boomtowns in the American Old West, Tombstone was established in 1879 and quickly developed a thriving silver mining industry. The name of the town plays a significant role in its notoriety.

An Army scout who was looking for ore in the area was informed that his chances of finding any minerals were higher than meeting his own grave (or, in this case, tombstone). It has had a pretty bizarre history throughout the years, filled with violence, economic booms and busts, and some even claim hauntings. The claim to fame of Tombstone was probably made by this well-known group during the town's heyday, when it was also a notoriously lawless region. The battle at the O.K. Corral and the subsequent Earp vendetta ride solidified the town's (and Arizona's) standing in the annals of the Old West.

Although the famous gunfight near the O.K. Corral actually occurred closer to Fly's Photo Gallery, near Fremont and Third Street, the name endured over the years as a result of books, movies, and TV shows that depicted the event. For those seeking a glimpse into life during Arizona's territorial days, Tombstone is now a popular tourist destination. Some of the original structures can still be seen today, while others have been rebuilt following fires, and a few have even been virtually unaltered for decades after the town nearly perished. The town is full of history, but Allen Street, where most of the town's history, revelry, and violence took place, is the main destination for everyone.