The Town Too Tough to Die: A Tombstone Walking Tour

(23 reviews)

Tombstone, Arizona audio tour: The Town Too Tough to Die: A Tombstone Walking Tour

This is a 0.8mi walking tour

It takes an average of 75 mins to complete.

Tombstone, Arizona

The United States

$9.99

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About the Tour

Travel back in time on this walking tour through America’s best-preserved Wild West mining boomtown, Tombstone. This circular stroll around the historical town starts and ends in front of the Bird Cage Theater. From there, you’ll walk down Allen Street where I’ll bring the infamous O.K Corral gunfight back to life. I’ll point out where Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday were ambushed by Clantons and McLaurys, and where Virgil’s younger brother, Morgan Earp, was assassinated in revenge for the O.K. Corral killings.

This tour isn’t only about the most famous shootout in the Wild West. I’ll also show you the former Chinese district, Hop Town, and tell you about the district’s boss, China Mary. You’ll hear about the other women of Tombstone like Doc Holliday’s girlfriend Big Nose Kate, Nellie “the Miners’ Angel” Cashman, and San Diego newspaper correspondent, Clara Spaulding Brown. You’ll also learn about the dancehall girls, madams and prostitutes that worked Tombstone’s red-light district.

On this tour, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Learn the difference between a Cow Town and a mining Boom Town
Hear about the lavish lifestyles in Tombstone during its heyday, including the most opulent hotels and saloons to be found between New York City and San Francisco, all made possible by at least $550 million dollars of silver taken out of the Tombstone mines from 1878 to 1895
Take in historical buildings like the Crystal Palace and the Cochise County Courthouse which were erected right after the 1882 fire that devastated the town
Find out about John Heath, whose cause of death was ruled, by officials, as “strangulation, self-inflicted or otherwise”
See where Tombstone’s “Original Shady Lady,” the world’s largest rose bush, is located at the Rose Tree Museum
Pass by some of the town’s notable establishments, including Four Deuces Saloon, the Longhorn Restaurant, and Big Nose Kate’s Saloon
Discover if the world-famous O.K Corral gunfight really lasted only 30-seconds

Join me on this hour-long stroll and let the quirky gun-slinging characters of the town “too tough to die” come to life.

Tour Producer

Jim Turner

3 tours

I was the eighth generation to live in our Connecticut farmhouse but our whole family moved to Tucson in 1951 because of my asthma. I earned my masters in U.S. History from the University of Arizona, retired from the Arizona Historical Society in 2009, became an author/editor for Rio Nuevo Publishers until 2020, have authored or co-authored nine books, mostly about Arizona.

You can read history stories on my website, www.jimturnerhistorian.org. Or email me at [email protected]. You can also purchase my books at Rio Nuevo Publishers, rionuevo.com/shop

Preview Location

Location 9

Tombstone City Park 311 E. Allen

Stop here please at the corner.

Before I start this story let me say that it’s impossible to know every word spoken or action taken back then. It happened fast and the shots were loud. It was difficult to see into the narrow vacant lot and worst of all the opposing faction... Stop here please at the corner.

Before I start this story let me say that it’s impossible to know every word spoken or action taken back then. It happened fast and the shots were loud. It was difficult to see into the narrow vacant lot and worst of all the opposing factions and the newspapers told different stories. Most of my facts come from the New York Times bestseller The Last Gunfight by Jeff Guinn. He interviewed dozens of historians and cites countless primary sources. And now the curtain rises.

Wednesday, October 26th, 1881, was a cold winter day in Tombstone. After all the ruckus the night before and earlier that day the Clantons and McLaurys were finally getting ready to leave town. Around 3 p.m. Virgil Earp stepped into the vacant lot next to Fly’s Boardinghouse and told them “Throw up your hands boys, I intend to disarm you.” In seconds Frank, Billy and Wyatt pulled their guns and Wyatt shot Frank in his belly. As he twisted, Billy fired at Wyatt but missed. Virgil realized there was no turning back and drew his pistol from his belt. As he did Frank McLaury shot him in his right calf and Virgil went down. Just then Ike Clanton bolted a few feet forward and grabbed Wyatt, telling him he wasn’t armed. Wyatt was fairly sure Ike didn’t have a gun and tried to shake him off. Wyatt pushed Ike away and told him “The fight has commenced -- go to fighting or get away.”

Meanwhile, out on Fremont Street Morgan shot at Billy and hit him in his torso, which slammed him against the house on the west side of the vacant lot. Virgil rose to his feet and aimed at Frank but Frank’s horse was in the way. At the same time Morgan hollered “I am hit,” as a bullet entered one shoulder, exited the other, and he fell. Now free of Ike, Wyatt shot at Tom’s horse and it ran away, leaving Tom in the open. Doc Holliday, standing in the middle of Fremont Street fired the Wells Fargo shotgun and hit Tom, who collapsed near Third Street.

With no time to reload Doc threw down the shotgun and drew his pistol. Virgil and Wyatt now turned their fire on Billy. Frank tried to hide behind his horse but the shot he’d just fired spooked the horse and it took off, leaving Frank crouched in the street, bleeding. Morgan stood up and aimed at Frank, who straightened up and shouted at Doc, “I've got you now.” Doc replied, “Blaze away, you’re a daisy if you do,” and Frank pulled the trigger. The bullet creased Doc's hip and he said, “I'm shot right through.” Doc and Morgan both shot at Frank and Morgan’s bullet slammed into the right side of Frank’s head killing him instantly. With thirty shots in thirty seconds the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was history.

Now, keeping the park on your left, walk back up Allen Street leaving Third Street behind you.

It’s less than a hundred feet from the park to the O.K. Corral. This is the place where the legend began, known all over the world as the epicenter of the Wild West and the inspiration for countless books, movies, and television shows for almost a hundred years. Back on Fremont Street at Fly’s Photography Gallery, you stood where history took place but now you have arrived at the dream’s birthplace. Read More

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Major Landmarks

East Allen Street
The Bird Cage Theatre
Wyatt Earp’s Oriental Saloon & Theater
Crystal Palace Saloon
Can-Can Old Time Photos
Fly's Photography Gallery
Tombstone City Park
O.K. Corral
OK Corral Gunfight Site
Four Deuces Saloon
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
Cochise County Courthouse Museum
Tombstone Visitor's Center
Rose Tree Museum
Big Nose Kate's Saloon
The Longhorn Restaurant

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
535 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, USA
Total distance

1km
Final location
535 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, USA
Distance back to start location

51.52m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour starts in front of the Bird Cage Theater at 535 E Allen St, Tombstone.

You will probably be coming in from Tucson, through Benson, and then south on Arizona State Route 80. It is also called Fremont Street starting at the west edge of Tombstone after the big bend in the road as you first enter there will be six intersections: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th streets. When you get to 6th street you'll see a yellow pedestrian crossing sign to your right, and next to it a red and white sign that says "Public Parking two blocks right with a drawing of a hand with a finger pointing south. Turn right on Sixth and go two blocks to the corner of Sixth and Allen Streets. The parking will be on your left and the tour's starting point, the Bird Cage Theater, is on the left at the southwest corner of 6th and Allen Streets.

Show Directions

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Undertakers Espresso Bar has drinks named after the Earps and Clantons and hand crafted pizza Friday through Sunday. The Rose Tree Museum is amazing, especially when the roses are in bloom in the spring. Arlene's Southwest stores have the best in Native American Crafts. All three are family-run businesses.

Best time of day

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., stores and museums open at 10 a.m. Spring and Fall best, early morning in summer.

Precautions

It's hot and dry in Arizona, wear sunscreen and hats even in winter and bring bottled water.

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