Shoot Out at the OK Corral!



Finding a little of the Old West in Tombstone.

 The first time I visited Tombstone, was the summer I turned 8.  Not a lot has changed in the intervening 50 years.  Well, they have added gravel to the graveyard, so it isn't bare dirt.  It is still a tourist place.   They have blocked off the OK corral, so you have to pay $10 to see inside.  You do get a show, complete with shoot out, for you money.  More bang for your buck? 

The original courtroom.

There is a grand old courthouse, which is now a nice little museum.  You can see the old cells, newpaper articles from the shoot out, as well as how several locals felt the Earps were not the heroes of the day.  Vigilantes, was one description.  Clothing, household goods, shop goods, even the bar from one of the most famous saloons;  we spent over an hour looking at all the exhibits.  We also found out that the shootout really didn't happen in the OK Corral, but in the street in front of it.

The actors for the shoot out.  Drumming up a little business before the show.

The old buildings are worth looking at, many are gift shops, some selling nice, some selling tacky.  Stepping inside the Birdcage Theatre's lobby was a thrill.  The owner pointed out all the bullet holes around the room.  The steps up to the rooms of the "ladies of the night" were on the left; those steps were really worn!  Business must have been good!

Tombstone is also home to the largest rose in the world, a Lady Banks rose, planted in the mid-1800's, to cover the center courtyard of a home.  The home is still owned by the original family,  the current owner is the High School principal.  It wasn't in bloom on this visit, so we plan to come again in April.

On the way out of town, we stopped by the infamous cemetery.  Wooded grave markers, with names, dates, sometimes the reason of death.  One even apologised for hanging the man by mistake. At least they admitted their error on his tombstone for all to see. 

Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a 44
No Les, No More

Billy Clanton
Tom McLaury
Frank McLaury
Murdered on the street of Tombstone
1881