Funeral Homes near Tombstone

Facts about the city

Tombstone is a historic western city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. The town prospered from about 1877 to 1890, during which time the town's mines produced US$40 to $85 million in silver bullion, the largest productive silver district in Arizona. Its population grew from 100 to around 14,000 in less than seven years. It is best known as the site of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and now draws most of its revenue from tourism.The town was established on a mesa above the Tough Nut Mine. Within two years of its founding, although far distant from any other metropolitan area, Tombstone boasted a bowling alley, four churches, an ice house, a school, two banks, three newspapers, and an ice cream parlor, alongside 110 saloons, 14 gambling halls, and numerous dance halls and brothels. All of these were situated among and on top of a large number of dirty, hardscrabble mines. The gentlemen and ladies of Tombstone attended operas presented by visiting acting troupes at the Schieffelin Hall opera house, while the miners and cowboys saw shows at the Bird Cage Theatre, \"the wildest, wickedest night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast\".Under the surface were tensions that grew into deadly conflict. The mining capitalists and the townspeople were largely Republicans from the Northern states. Many of the ranchers, some of whom (like the Clantons) were also rustlers and/or other criminal varieties, were Confederate sympathizers and Democrats. The booming city was only 30 miles (48 km) from the U.S.–Mexico border and was an open market for beef stolen from ranches in Sonora, Mexico, by a loosely organized band of outlaws known as The Cowboys. The Earp brothers—Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan and Warren—arrived in December 1879 and summer 1880. They had ongoing conflicts with Ike and Billy Clanton, Frank and Tom McLaury, and other Cowboys members. The Cowboys repeatedly threatened the Earps over many months until the conflict escalated into a confrontation that turned into a shootout, the now-famous Hollywood-ized Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The actual gun fight was on Fremont Street a block or two away from the O.K. Corral.In the mid-1880s, the silver mines penetrated the water table and the mining companies made significant investments in specialized pumps. A fire in 1886 destroyed the Grand Central hoist and the pumping plant, and it was unprofitable to rebuild the costly pumps. The city nearly became a ghost town, saved only because it was the Cochise County seat until 1929. The city's population dwindled to a low of 646 in 1910, but it was 1,380 in 2010. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.

Tombstone Obituaries

It was written on June 16th, 2019 that Kathy Sue "Kate" McKinney (Wicks) died in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. McKinney was 63 years old and was born in Aurora, IL.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Kathy Sue "Kate"'s life.

It was written on March 2nd, 2017 that Mark Lynn Wall perished in Tombstone, Arizona.  Wall was 58 years old and was born in Ogden, UT.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Mark Lynn's life.

It was revealed on March 20th, 2016 that Hugh D Ramey died in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ramey was 74 years old and was born in Sharon, WV.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Hugh D's life.

It was disclosed on October 21st, 2015 that Rosie Moncayo (Escarcega) passed away in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. Moncayo was 77 years old.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Rosie's life.

It was noted on October 21st, 2015 that Bernetta M Radecki (Lavigne) passed on in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. Radecki was 93 years old and was born in Martin, OH.  Send flowers to express your sympathy and honor Bernetta M's life.

It was written on October 18th, 2015 that Rosie F Moncayo passed on in Tombstone, Arizona.  Moncayo was 77 years old.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Rosie F's life.

It was disclosed on October 18th, 2015 that Rosie F Moncayo died in Tombstone, Arizona.  Moncayo was 77 years old.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Rosie F's life.

It was revealed on October 17th, 2015 that Bernetta M Redeki (Lavigne) died in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. Redeki was 93 years old and was born in Martin, OH.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Bernetta M's life.

It was written on October 17th, 2015 that Bernetta M Redeki (Lavigne) passed away in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. Redeki was 93 years old and was born in Martin, OH.  Send flowers to share your condolences and honor Bernetta M's life.

It was disclosed on October 6th, 2015 that Catherine Frances "Cathy" Black (Black) passed away in Tombstone, Arizona.  Ms. Black was 59 years old.  Send flowers to express your sorrow and honor Catherine Frances "Cathy"'s life.

History

No sooner was this pipeline built than Tombstone's silver mines struck water. Fueled by mineral wealth, Tombstone was a city of 1000 by the beginning of 1881, and within another year Tombstone had become the seat of a new county (Cochise County) with a population between 5,000 and 15,000, and services including refrigeration (with ice cream and later even ice skating), running water, telegraph and limited telephone service. While telling the soldier about his rock collecting experiences, the soldier told him that the only rock he was likely to collect among the waterless hills and warring Apaches of the area would be his own tombstone. The second fire was particularly destructive and signaled the end of the classic old boomtown mining city. As a result of relative lack of water and quick wooden construction, Tombstone experienced major fires in June 1881 and May 1882.