Ride Shotgun With Me To The Wild West in Tombstone AZ
Visiting the Southwest United States provides plenty of opportunity to experience the Wild West or Old West. One of the most famous (if not THE most famous) such places is Tombstone, Arizona.
Tombstone, AZ is a short 1 hour drive from Tucson, or 3 hours from Phoenix. It’s now a National Historic Landmark Discrict as “one of the best preserved specimens of a rugged frontier town of the 1870s and ’80s”.
Since I’ve always been interested in history, and always enjoyed stories of the wild west, I decided it was time to visit Tombstone during a recent stay in Phoenix.
Watch my vlog of this trip here!
Mission San Xavier del Bac
My first stop on this road-trip was the Mission San Xavier del Bac, located just outside of Tucson, Arizona.
This historic landmark was founded in 1692, with construction completing in 1797. It’s very rare that we get to visit buildings or historic sites from the 1700’s here in North America, so I jumped at this opportunity!
This site was originally part of New Spain, and the Mexico. It didn’t become part of the United States until the Gadsden Purchase of 1854.
The site of the Mission was very impressive; definitely worth the stop. There was a special Mass happening during my visit, so I wasn’t able to get much footage inside (check out my vlog for more!).
After my visit I bought an “Indian Fry-Bread Taco” from one of the flea-market-style Native American booths. To be honest, it looks better than it tastes. Not that it’s terrible, it’s just pretty bland and greasy.
Tombstone, Arizona
When most people think of Tombstone they picture Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the shootout at the O.K. Corral.
Though it’s considered to be the most authentic western town in the USA, people are still living there. The main “touristy” section is 3-blocks long and closed to car traffic, but there are a few other historic buildings and sites in the surrounding area.
The “Town Too Tough To Die” was founded in 1879. It’s considered one of the last frontier boomtowns, prospering from about 1877 to 1890 and centered on the town’s silver mine.
By far, Tombstone is most famous for the “shoot-out at the O.K. Corral” between the Earp brothers with Doc Holliday and the Cowboy Gang.
It was a lot of fun to wander the historic streets, and explore 500 feet below ground in the silver mines. I even managed to run into the Earps on their way to confront the Cowboys!
Boothill Graveyard
Boothill Graveyard, or the Tombstone Cemetery, was used from about 1878 to 1884 and was the burial place for many of the town’s first pioneers.
According to legend, the cemetery got its name because many inhabitants “died with their boots on”. As your tour the burial plots you’ll find outlaws and their victims, suicides and hangings, along with many of the town’s citizens and a number of unknown markers.
Entry to the graveyard is free, but it’s worth the $3 to pick up the pamphlet from the Historical Society. A lot of work went into comparing the burials with town records, and the results provide a very interesting glimpse into the wild west.
Some examples are:
1. Van Houten (1879) – Murdered over a mining claim dispute
2. Tom Waters (1880) – Shot over the colour of his shirt
3. Teamster (1881) – Killed by Apaches
4. George Johnson (1882) – Hanged by mistake for buying a stolen horse
5. Deron – Shot by Slaughter during arrest for his part in a train robbery
As with the town itself, the most famous residents of Boothill Graveyard are the victims of the O.K Corral Shootout. The 3 members of The Cowboys who died in the gun fight are buried together: Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, and Tom McLaury.
Be sure to watch my vlog entry for an insider look into this awesome Wild West road-trip!
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Resources
Here is a list of the resources mentioned in this post:
Mission San Xavier del Bac – Historic landmark was founded in 1692, with construction completing in 1797
Tombstone, Arizona – National Historic Landmark Discrict as “one of the best preserved specimens of a rugged frontier town of the 1870s and ’80s”
Boothill Graveyard – Burial place for many of the town’s first pioneers, used from about 1878 to 1884
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Wow!! Love this! What a beautiful little town! I had no idea they had something like this out there, a must see! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks April! I was pleasantly surprised it was so close to where I was going to be
Beautiful and a great chunk of history there!! Thanks for sharing your travels, Bruce!
You’re very welcome Chonrda! thanks for coming along 🙂
This looks like a must add place to my next USA trip. I have not seen much of the US “outback” we did drive from LA to Vegas last year but sadly did not have time to get off the beaten track. I was really hoping to see more scenes like those in your photos. That mission looks like something I would like too!
It really was a great place to visit! You also missed a really cool ghost town between LA and LV called Calico that’s well worth the stop.
I love visiting out west especially towns like this. Love all the history and folklore. Will definitely put this on my list with my next visit to AZ.
Lisa recently posted…Take Time To Visit Our National Parks This Year
Yes! It was so great to see a town like this that has survived turning into a ghost town like so may others.
We are planning a trip there this spring!
Awesome! There are so many fun activities offered, sure to fit whatever you’re looking for
We’re planning on visiting Arizona next winter so it’s great to hear about wonderful places like this that will be perfect to visit. All of the Wild West stuff is always so interesting and makes me want to sit down and watch a pile of western movies.
I felt the same, Adam! Winter is a great time to visit Arizona, i’m sure you’ll love it
love that you traveled a little this way! I’ve really been wanting to travel the US more. AZ looks amazing!
I so agree Michelle. So often we get caught up in travelling the world that we ignore our backyards
That is definitely something new!! I love the church in the middle of “nowhere” and like you said if you are or ever were a bit into the wild west this should be an interesting stop!
Yes, it was totally in the middle of nowhere. Felt a world away even though it’s not far from the main highway.
I like watching westerns so this would be fun to visit. It’s cool to imagine yourself back in the wild west and how crazy it was with guns fights, etc. Those pioneers must have been really tough people.
I was thinking that exact same thing while roaming those streets!
What a great in depth tour. We love Indian Fry Bread or as we call it Bannock. We role it on the end of a stick and cook it over the fire and create sock like piece and fill it with butter and jam..so delicious!
that sounds really good! now you have me wanting to give it a second chance for the sweet version 🙂
Looks like a fun road trip and a great Wild West experience! This place looks exactly the same as I saw in movies about South-West US.
It really does. There’s something very familiar-feeling while you’re there.
Looks like straight out of a western movie! 🙂 what a beautiful little town!
You’re right! It actually made me want to re-watch the movie “Tombstone”!
I’ve never been in Tombstone AZ. Thanks for great post with beautiful pictures that reminds me of the great old western movies. A trip there is now on my bucket list.
Loetta
You’re very welcome Loetta! It’ll be a really fun trip (and i’d recommend spending more that just a couple hours there like I did!)
I love this piece on the Wild West. The details of the architecture in your photos are amazing. What kind of camera do you use? Reading your post makes me want to go on an adventure there.
Thanks so much! Definitely go there … you’ll have so much to explore. For this trip I took my old Cannon XSi
I LOVED Tombstone. I went with a few friends and found it to be so fun!
Wasn’t it amazing! I really felt like I was back in the wild west