Tombstone

Ed Schieffelin was told he would find his tombstone rather than silver, found silver instead in 1877, and named the camp accordingly; within a few years it was one of the largest towns in the territory. On 26 October 1881 the Earps and Doc Holliday fought the Clantons and McLaurys in a vacant lot near the OK Corral - about thirty seconds, three dead - and the retelling has never stopped. The Bird Cage Theatre survives largely untouched with bullet holes in the walls. The Tombstone Epitaph, founded 1880, still publishes. From 1880 the mines hit the water table, the pumping station burned in 1886 and was never rebuilt, and the town survived as the county seat. Allen Street is now largely staged gunfights and shops, which the town does not disguise.

What to look for

• The gunfight site - a vacant lot, not the corral itself.
• The Bird Cage Theatre - largely untouched, with bullet holes.
• The Tombstone Epitaph - publishing since 1880.
• Allen Street - staged shows and shops, openly so.

When to go

October to April; summer is very hot. Half a day.

Practical notes

Nearly everything is ticketed separately and the gunfight shows are entertainment. The historical record differs from the popular version in several respects. Summer heat is severe. It is heavily commercialised.

Nearby

Bisbee is south; Chiricahua National Monument is east.

Key facts