The Wild West has made lawmen, criminals, and cowboys the stuff of legends, not only in books but also on the silver screen. It has also created legends of the weapons that these famous and infamous characters carried. And just like the legends that made them famous, these guns now emit an aura of mystery […]
Doc Holliday’s Gun: Everything You Need to Know About the Legendary Gunslinger Read More »
Intro We’ve been working on an E-Book chronicling Wyatt Earp’s days in Dodge City. Upcoming sometime in the future. We’ll give a bit of a preview here, in that it begins with some of his first days when entering Kansas. He first appears in Sumner County in late 1872. When Wyatt ends up in Kansas
Wyatt Earp in Wichita, Kansas Read More »
Intro Have you heard of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, about 120 miles West of Fort Worth, Texas? The U.S. 6th Cavalry built Fort Wilson there the summer of 1867, on a plateau. Name changed soon to honor General Charles Griffin. The Old West Frontier Town built up around it. But it had
Wyatt Earp in Fort Griffin, Texas Read More »
Introduction With October’s Gunfight Remembrance, thought we’d bring up a person whose name came up a lot in the aftermath of that Tombstone incident. You’ve heard his name: Wells Spicer. His career spanned the law, mining, politics & journalism. We’ll find out more on this man, born in Chemung NY to farming parents in 1831.
Intro It wasn’t easy for women to make a way for themselves in the Old West. Reading through newspapers of the time, when women of note are mentioned, many times it’s difficult to even find out their first names. If married, they’re most often described with their husband’s name. For instance, speaking of Allie they’d
The Town Begins to Appreciate the History In 1903 the 1st car arrived in Tombstone. A few citizens wanted them. Many more were skeptical! Then police became involved in these trending purchases. In 1916 a traffic ordinance was passed. Officers were rigorously enforcing its directives. But traffic was bringing tourism, those interested in traveling historic
Tombstone Historic District Read More »
Tom Jeffords: Do You Remember Him? Born Thomas Jefferson Jeffords in NW New York State, New Years Day 1832. The gold rush attracted him West when he was age 27. First to Pikes Peak CO, then New Mexico & Arizona. If you’re a bit of the older generations, or you like watching old Western reruns
Pick-Em-Up: How Did it Begin? Not a whole lot of documentation is found about the small settlement of Pick-Em-Up. And what there is can be a bit confusing. The BLM Legal plotting lists the coordinates as T20S, R21E – but we’re not quite sure how to map that out right now. Real estate deeds were
Pick-Em-Up Arizona Ghost Town Read More »
Before Tombstone Joyce family research finds Patrick Robert Joyce born on Oct. 16, 1847, in County Cork, Ireland. Potato Famine caused the family’s immigration . Settling in Richmond, Virginia, the baby’s name became Melvin (called Milton?? don’t know!) Edward. Thus he’s listed VA born on 1880 AZ Census. Enlisted at age 15 with Confederate army. Moved to
Milt Joyce of the Oriental Saloon Read More »
Jim Vizina Started It All On the Northeast corner of Allen & 5th Streets, Jim partnered with Benjamin Cook to construct the original building. It contained the Oriental Saloon, but also a furniture store, dry goods store & a bank. The building was referred to as the Vizina & Cook Building. It brought the partners
A Most Famous Nearby Shooting Read More »
Lady Banks Rose? The very famous rose of Arizona! You likely heard of this world record-breaker – of Tombstone AZ. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records. Because it’s a rose bush that’s so huge, it’s called a Rose Tree. The rose’s true name is Lady Banksia Rose: (R. banksiae alba-elena), but often gets
John Philip Clum: Some Tombstone Firsts! Born in upstate NY Sept. 1, 1851. He eventually became a well-known resident of Tombstone. He was its 1st voted Mayor & the 1st Editor of the iconic Tombstone Epitaph. Also got involved in lots more in town. Let’s see how John P. Clum got there – his story…
