Tombstone, Arizona, often called "The Town Too Tough to Die," is the most famous of Arizona's old mining camps. When Ed Schieffelin arrived at Camp Huachuca in 1877 and wandered off to prospect nearby, his comrades told him he would find his tombstone before finding silver.
Thus it was that when Ed staked his first claim, he named it "Tombstone." When rumors of the rich strikes made the Mining camp a boom town, the settlement adopted Ed's name. Over the next 7 years, the mines produced millions of dollars in silver and gold, before underground water forced suspension of mining activities.
During this time, with thousands of treasure hunters seeking to strike it rich, Tombstone gained a reputation as a town steeped in violence and lawlessness. This reputation culminated with the infamous Earp-Clanton Gunfight at the O.K. Corral October 16, 1881. The Tombstone Courthouse was the first Cochise County Courthouse, constructed shortly after.
General Information
Rates & Fees
$2.00 per person; $1.00 ages 12-17.
Seasons / Hours
Open year-round, but closed Christmas Day
Visitor Center
Open daily, 8 am to 5 pm MST.
Features
Restrooms (Handicapped Assistance Provided)
Picnic Area
Elevator (for Handicapped visitors)
Approximate Elevation - 4,539 feet
Climate
Average Daily
Temperature & Precipitation (Degrees F)
Month
Max.
Min.
Precipitation
Jan
61.4
33.6
0.80"
Feb
64.8
35.8
0.56"
Mar
68.9
38.9
0.60"
Apr
78.1
45.4
0.27"
May
86.8
53.2
0.13"
Jun
94.7
61.3
0.44"
Jul
93.7
65.4
3.77"
Aug
90.9
64.0
3.25"
Sep
89.1
60.5
1.22"
Oct
81.4
61.5
0.62"
Nov
70.7
40.9
0.36"
Dec
62.6
35.1
0.75"
Things To Do
Tour the Courthouse containing antiques and artifacts concerning the history of Tombstone and Cochise County, then tour the town with its boot hill and numerous museums, including the infamous O.K. Corral.
The Tombstone Courthouse was built in 1882 after Cochise County split off from Pima County in 1881. Tombstone was chosen as the county seat because it was the largest town in the county with a population of 8-10,000 people. The building served as the Cochise County Courthouse until 1929 when the county seat was moved to Bisbee where it remains today. Some of the most notorious criminal cases were tried in the courthouse during Arizona's territorial period.
In 1959, after many years of non-use, the courthouse was placed in the state park system as a historical site. The state then restored and opened it as a State Historic Park. The courthouse presently houses a multitude of displays of past life in Cochise County including ranching, mining and gambling. The professional staff at Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park provides visitors with fact-based interpretations of the history of the area. The park is the only publicly-owned museum in the town of Tombstone.
Camping & Lodging
Lodging
A number of motels and hotels are available within a few blocks of the courthouse. For more information, Click Here
Tombstone Office of Tourism P.O. Box 917, Tombstone, AZ 85638
800-457-3423
Camping
There is no camping at the courthouse facility, but there are public and private campgrounds and RV accomodations are located nearby. For more information, contact:
Tombstone Office of Tourism P.O. Box 917, Tombstone, AZ 85638
800-457-3423
Tour the Courthouse containing antiques and artifacts concerning the history of Tombstone and Cochise County, then tour the town with its boot hill and numerous museums, including the infamous O.K. Corral.
