Tombstone Arizona March 20 2011

We blew into Tombstone with the tumbleweeds on March 20 and spent an enjoyable week exploring "The Town Too Tough To Die".
When Ed Schieffelin left Fort Huachuca in 1877 to prospect his comrades told him he'd fine his tombstone before he found silver. Consequently he named his first claim the Tombstone. Rich strikes of silver lured more miners and prospectors to the area creating a settlement that adopted this name.
As with many mining towns lawlessness gambling and prostitution abounded.

At some times it was hard to tell the "good guys" from the "bad" but some that gained recognition were Wyat Earp, Doc Holliday, Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers. Their most famous battle of course being the Shoot Out at the OK Corral which actually took place in a vacant lot on Fremont street next to the corral.
On October 26 1881 Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp with the help of Doc Holliday exchanged shots with Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury. At the end of the battle Billy, Tom and Frank all lay mortally wounded. />



Billy Clanton and the McLurys along with some of the more colorful characters and past residents of Tombstone are buried at Boothill Graveyard, named that because many of the people buried there died violent or unexpected deaths and were buried with their boots on.
As I walked down the streets of Tombstone in the early morning with the tumbleweeds blowing ahead of me and the shop signs squeaking as the wind blew them I remembered the miners , the western legends and the working ladies of 130 years ago.
This is the Birdcage Theater which was a saloon, gambling house, live performance venue and brothel all wrapped into one. It still displays many bullet holes here and there that tells the story of its wild history. Many shows were performed here acrobatic and otherwise including one performance where the ladies walked on the ceiling. This feat was accomplished by the ladies wearing magnets in their boots.
Surprisingly enough this huge mirror (which had to be brought by ship around the Horn from the eastern states because the railroad refused to guarantee its safe arrival) and this bar with the original lights hanging above it also survived the many gun battles which took place in this establishment.
The "cribs" above the main floor is where the ladies plied their trade. Some of the more famous ladies were Big Nose Kate, who was Doc Holliday's girl, Madame Moustache, China Mary who handled all of the Asian prostitutes and of course Big Minnie who was the wife of Joe Bignon who was the owner of the Bird Cage Theater.

This is the world's largest rose bush and is in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was brought from Scotland as a root in 1885 and is a White Lady Banksia Rose. It covers about 8000 square feet and is so large the branches have to be supported by posts. It blooms in April so unfortunately I didn't see the blooms but I can imagine that it must be a sight to behold.