We've passed through Tombstone, AZ three times before on the main highway and never stopped to see the sights. Actually, I have to amend that. Craig's driven through a lot more times than I have, and he's been up and down Front Street a few times, so he's always vetoed getting out of the car when we're headed to Bisbee.
And you ask, why would we even pull over in a tourist trap like Tombstone? I noticed Casa Paloma had Mexican imports and thought it might be the Jackalope of Tombstone, so we looked for a parking place. Unfortunately, the Cerrado never switched to Abierto.
The old Cochise County Courthouse actually houses some authentic artifacts.
Craig tried to get me to pose on this bench. I don't think so!
Here's Front Street in Tombstone. It's paved! Craig has the explanation since he actually dealt with some of these people when the street was dirt. The dust when it was still authentic was horrendous, so they paved it.
Stagecoach ride anyone?
The town is full of fake outlaws hanging about hoping to have their photos taken with the kiddies. We also saw a lot of characters in this part of Arizona who were groomed like Tombstone characters, but decided the tourist trap couldn't employ that many people!
The extras stroll the streets in their spurs and Old West getups.
In order to actually see the O.K. Corral, you have to pay the big bucks. Craig said it's not much, so we decided to skip it. Here's the historical link in case you missed one of the many movies.
We were hungry, but decided the O.K. Cafe might be a tourist trap with bad food.
Self-explanatory!
10 comments:
But maybe you could have gotten your bison burger fix!
I thought of that Ann. Maybe the OK Cafe was a jewel! Actually, friends of ours who live in the area told us they'd never found anything very tastey in Tombstone.
OMG, that SO reminds me of the town of Hill City where I used to live in South Dakota. They recently had one of their "pretend" shoot-outs in which they accidentally shot three tourists with real bullets. Be very, very careful of those re-enactments in those western towns!
Deb, oh my God! Of course, in Arizona, people run around all over the place carrying loaded guns. The guy who made the national news for shooting himself in the crotch awhile back is from our town. It happened not far from us in a grocery store parking lot. You can't make this stuff up!
What surprised me was your photo of the stage coach pulled by 2 Clydesdales. They look like our horses, only a bit smaller (and ours are black with white feathers). Our boys tell us it is much too hot to be outside and thus need to be in the barn under 4 electric fans. And snacks. And a manicurist. And there in Tombstone are 2 similar horses out pulling a tourist wagon! I always thought of Tstone as hot and dusty... is it also in the cool uplands where temps are under 100?
drgeo, Tombstone's elevation is a lot higher than here in the valley. I'm guessing the temps would usually not get above the 90's? I think it was probably in the high 80's when we were there. And you also have to remember, there's not much humidity. Dry really does make a huge difference when the temps are under 100. Once you're above 105 or 110, it's just hot as hell!
Did they really use Clydesdales in the Old West to pull stagecoaches? I wondered about that.
Heavy horses (Shires, Clydesdales, Percherons, Belgians) have been around since they hauled knights in armor as war horses. They are also good at hauling big wagon loads for short distances. But they likely wouldn't have been used if the stage coach actually left town and had to cope with a variety of terrain. While it is possible to use a tank as an ice cream truck, it isn't economical.
I always joked about wanting to use our horses to play "tackle" polo, just to give Prince Charles a run for his money.
Dear Life’s a Beach,
Its a shame you were too impatient to wait for Casa Paloma to abierto. The store is open 3 days per week - Fri, Sat, Sun. You missed a beautiful store full of carefully selected unique and vintage Mexican imports. It is also a shame that you fail to see the cultural value and historic preservation of the wild west depicted in Tombstone, Arizona, the 'Town Too Tough To Die’. Have some respect for history!
You sound a bit narrow minded - one who cant appreciate anything. Your blog name describes you well. Do yourself a favor and never go to developing countries as you would only see the worst.
Gee, it sure was Tombstone's loss not to have been graced by your presence! I'm surprise the town is still there. They should have burned it down once they found out it is not up to your high standards. By all means stick to Bisbee. I'm sure those bong hitting washed up hippies are just your kind of people.
We heard about this cute store from a friend who had some beautiful Mexican treasures she got from Casa Paloma in Tombstone. We finally went and WoW! Its like a Mexican Art Museum. We got some unique vintage Mexican vases and pottery. The colors are so rich and adds pizzaz to our front room. Even my husband found something fun. The store owner is knowledgeable about each of the artists, and is a very friendly pretty lady who is native of Arizona and resides in the area. We cant wait to go back on a weekend when the store is open. I now have a greater appreciation for fine Mexican art. Thank you Casa Paloma. See you soon.
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