Monday, December 27, 2010

TOMBSTONE ARIZONA

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I THINK THESE FELLAS ARE   WAITING ON THE McLAURY BOYS!! 

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THE INFAMOUS TOWN OF TOMBSTONE ARIZONA AS WE SAW IT ON OUR COLD MORNING WALK DECEMBER 29TH, 2006.  WE HAVE BEEN BACK SEVERAL TIMES SINCE.

About a week ago I had mentioned the town of TOMBSTONE ARIZONA in my blog.  Had intended to put a few photos in with that but couldn’t find them.  Thursday while scrounging for Christmas pics I came across my Tombstone file.  You will hear a lot of things about Tombstone & how it is commercialized.  It’s partially true, & there is little of the old original Tombstone left anymore.  Hard to know what is authentic & what isn’t. Unfortunate, but it is the way the town has had to survive & regardless of criticism, Tombstone will still give you a sense of the old wild west town it once was.

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Kelly & I picked out a place to look through when we were there a few years ago & I must say I was very skeptical of it’s claim of historic authenticity. 

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I would now say the ‘BIRDCAGE THEATRE’ is authentic alright & I base that simply from the building itself.  No mistaking that old musty smell when you walk through the door.  I must admit, this place is eerie.  Kelly & I were the only visitors there as we slowly made our way around the dimly lit & stony silent interior peering into old museum like glass cases at many rustic artifacts of the day.  I suggest you click on the link above & read the short article on the Birdcage Theatre’s notorious past.  Twenty six people died within the very walls Kelly & I were walking.  Wyatt Erp, his brothers & Doc Holliday all walked these same floorboards.  Nothing has been done to restore the inside of this place & that is why it smells musty & moldy.  The building has not been restored & I really appreciated that, but the building itself is slowing dying.  I took photos inside but did not use my flash.  I tried to capture the true eeriness of this buildings infamous history.

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THE SAYING ‘IF ONLY THE WALLS COULD TALK’ TOOK ON REAL MEANING HERE……

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THIS IS TOMBSTONE’S ORIGINAL HEARSE & I AM SURE IT TRANSPORTED MANY A TOMBSTONE RESIDENT TO BOOT HILL JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN….THIS ROOM IS RIGHT BEHIND THE STAGE

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THE BIRDCAGE’S BASEMENT ROOM THE LINKED ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT…..WYATT ERP

Tombstone’s Boot Hill is a real cemetery with real dead people buried there.  It is one of the town’s main attractions.  No entry fee, but donations for the cemeteries upkeep are accepted in the Gift Shop.  .DSC_0046-1

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Tombstone is only a half hour drive west of where we are staying right now.

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GROANER’S CORNER

The cowboy lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh Amarillo theatre. When the usher came by and noticed this he whispered to the cowboy, “Sorry, sir, but you re only allowed one seat.” The cowboy groaned but didn’t budge. The usher became more impatient. “Sir, if you don’t get up from there, I m going to have to call the manager. The cowboy just groaned. The usher marched briskly back up the aisle. In a moment he returned with the manager. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move the cowboy, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police. The cop surveyed the situation briefly then asked, “All right buddy, What’s you re name?” “Sam,” the cowboy moaned. “Where ya from, Sam?” With pain in his voice Sam replied…. “The balcony.”

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11 comments:

  1. As I walked one of the streets in Tombstone, with my beard and bluejeans and motorcycle boots. I also had a wide brim western hat on with suspenders. One of those black coated actors that roam the town with the pistol belt looked at me and said, "Welcome back home." Perhaps I did look the part, but it was purely unintentional.
    Rod

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  2. Sure glad those folks in the Boot Hill Cemetery are real dead, Al. Alive would be awful

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  3. Great pics tonight. I especially like the last one. Seems to bring back childhood memories of dreaming about the old west. :) I so wanted to be riding my faithful horse along those western trails...

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  4. You would fit in nicely with your cowboy hat Al. I loved all the pictures.

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  5. We've been to Tombstone a few times and your pictures have sure captured the feeling well. I'd rather have this Tombstone, with it's bit of commercialism, than to have it gone altogether. I think they've done a pretty good job there.

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  6. Al,

    I think the Birdcage Theater is my favorite piece of Tombstone. Yesterday was just a quick visit for us, we're going back again when it warms up a bit. Looks like some cold weather is ahead in Cochise County. Nice photos of the refueling!

    Best,

    Terry

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  7. I went out into the dark tonight to 'breathe some fresh air'. I heard some 4-legged creature moving in the bushes. I bravely did not run for the rig, but when I did, my big spotlight revealed a small group of cute wild burros ;-)

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  8. A great visit to Tombstone. As usual the photo coverage is excellent. Hope you guys are enjoying your stay. sounds like it. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

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  9. The Groaner was great! And as you said, Tombstone will "stiff" you! (See your first paragraph.)

    I hadn't realized the cemetery was free admission. We gotta spend more time in Tombstone, which is also only a half hour's drive from where we are.

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  10. Thanks for the photo tour Al. I especially liked the graveyard sign..."Geo Johnson hanged by mistake".
    --Rod

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  11. Wow, that place looks really neat! Great place to put on the 'to visit' list!!! Thanx...

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