Starting off in the Tombstone Courthouse, we learned that the town was founded in 1881 by Ed Schieffelin, a soldier stationed at Fort Huachuca . Wanting to find something to do besides being in the military, Schieffelin went into the hills to prospect. This was Apache land and his fellow soldiers told him he would find nothing but his tombstone there. They were right in a way. He discovered silver and founded a town, Tombstone.
Worried about the Apaches he thought that the best way to solve the problem was bringing people to the area. He advertised for miners from the East and West saying that there was a big silver strike in Tombstone. Schieffelin watched the town grow to over 10,000 citizens in a manner of weeks. They were miners, shady ladies, barkeeps, store owners, Chinese opium providers, the typical boomtown denizens.
In 1882 Tombstone was the county seat and the courthouse was built. Today the courthouse is a museum of local artifacts from the town’s beginnings through its wild heyday. Displays include Apache artifacts, mining paraphernalia, Earp/Clanton memorabilia (more about them in a later entry), and the Sheriff’s office.
Nellie Cashman was a restaurant owner, and later a miner, with a strong sense of right.
Stories of her concern for others include her supplying starving miners with vegetables, bringing water to stranded prospectors and tearing down the grandstands set up by the local sheriff so he could charge for watching a hanging.
Our walking tour of town took us past the many historic places we will be learning more about later. Our guide told us the tales related here and more that we will share as we experience of Tombstone.
On our way back we passed by this sign that caught the attention of Sonny and Sally.
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