Distance from Tucson
20 miles southeast

Tombstone is "The town too tough to die" although it might be a little embarrassed by the hoopla that it keeps its old image alive. There are many "roadside attractions" here such as the word's largest rose bush, Boot Hill and a "Historama" with the late Vincent Price narrating the showdown at the OK corral and other historic Tombstone events.

Tombstone was founded in 1879 after a silver strike by a prospector from nearby Fort Huachuca, who ignored the advice of the calvarymen that the only thing he would find was his tombstone. They assumed the Apaches would kill him but he was very lucky and found silver ore on the surface. Edward Scheiffelin sold out for $300,000-a very big fortune in those days and lived to prospect all over the west and Alaska.

The town reached a population of 15,000 by the mid-1880s but went bust when the mines hit the water table at 1500 feet and were unable to continue. Today there are mining operations in the prospects but not on the old scale.

The Chochise county seat was located here before the mines failed and was house in what was called the "Million Dollar Courthouse." Today it is a State Historical Park and contains interpretive exhibits with numerous interesting photos from the 1800's.

There are many picturesque buildings here besides the Million Dollar Courthouse. Also, boot hill is fascinating, particularly the epitaphs of those who died violent deaths. The number of Chinese buried there also gives an indication of their contribution to the building of the west.