description Tombstone Historic District Overview
The Tombstone Historic District is a designated National Historic Landmark District located in Cochise County, Arizona. It preserves the structures and sites of a late 19th-century silver mining boomtown, which was founded by Ed Schieffelin in 1879. The district is recognized for its historical significance during the American frontier period, notably including the site of the 1881 O.K. Corral shootout.
Preserved buildings within the district feature original and restored architecture from the 1880s.
help Tombstone Historic District FAQ
Did the gunfight at the O.K. Corral happen inside the corral?
The famous fight occurred on October 26, 1881, in a vacant lot near the O.K. Corral rather than in the corral itself. Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, Morgan Earp, and Doc Holliday faced members of the Cochise County Cowboys.
Which original buildings can visitors see in the Tombstone Historic District?
Prominent surviving sites include Schieffelin Hall, the Bird Cage Theatre, Tombstone City Hall, and the 1882 Cochise County Courthouse. The Tombstone Epitaph, a newspaper founded in 1880, is also closely tied to the district's history.
Why did Tombstone become a boomtown?
Prospector Ed Schieffelin's silver discoveries drove Tombstone's rapid growth after its founding in 1879. Mining money supported saloons, theaters, newspapers, hotels, and a population far larger than that of the present-day city.
Is the Tombstone Historic District a National Historic Landmark?
Yes, Tombstone received National Historic Landmark recognition in 1961. Its significance extends beyond the Earp story to the wider conflict between law, commerce, mining, and violence in an Arizona Territory boomtown.
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