This is by far the best photograph I have taken just outside Tombstone, Arizona

Welcome to The Attic, let’s go back to the 1880s.

The air around you is heavy, still, and warm as the sun begins to set over Tombstone, Arizona. The wooden planks that line the storefronts creak as you casually stroll along. You hear a distant rumble; a storm is coming in. A swift and sudden breeze causes the dirt road to be swept up around you. It’s as if the town itself wants to keep you close, so that the many souls can tell you how they lived and died in the town too tough to die. It’s mostly quiet around you, but down the road you can hear the rhythmic echo of spurs following the thud of cowboy boots on the wooden sidewalk. Thud. Ching. Thud. Ching. It’s the 21st century, but when you enter Tombstone, Arizona, you could swear you stepped out of a time machine and into the late 1800s.

Tombstone was founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin, who was in the region with a scouting group looking for Chiricahua Apaches. He began to venture away from his group in search for silver, and he was warned that if he kept wandering this area, the only thing he would find was his own tombstone. And so, when Ed did in fact find the silver he was after, he decided to name this area Tombstone. While I will be getting into specifics of the most haunted spots, I think it’s important to not ignore the historical significance of the area. I believe that if any place in the world is haunted, this town is, and it’s even more fascinating to ghost hunt here when you know the history with which you’re dealing.

I had to snap this shot of a quiet rainy day

Yes, this historic town largely caters to its tourism market, but that’s its lifeline. That’s how the residents make their money, and it’s why we still have this piece of history onto which to hold. If the gunfight at the OK Corral hadn’t happened, one has to wonder if Tombstone would have died out many years ago, leaving nothing but another ghost town in its wake. From my experience of visiting Tombstone seven times (eight? I started to lose count) in my life, I’ve encountered so many people that ran the town, its souvenir shops, and museums, and they all held a common love for the place. The many men and women that dress up in period outfits to reenact the famous gunfight on an almost daily basis take their jobs seriously, and you can tell they love what they do.

They also know how to stay in character. In fact, one of my favorite memories of the town was running into an actor by the name of Stephen Keith who plays Doc Holliday in reenactments. But as he walks the town in his offtime he is still in character, even while some girl (me, obvi) giggled incessantly as he quoted Val Kilmer’s famous lines from the film with pitch perfect delivery. But while he nails the Kilmer impression, he also knows the real facts, and he’s happy to stop acting and share his wealth of knowledge with anyone curious to know more about the real Doc Holliday. You can see him here telling the story of how he came to play this role. These residents and actors love and respect the history, and they will engage in thoughtful conversations with you at any hint of interest on your part. You can tell that this is a labor of love for them.

One of the highlights in town is the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park. This building was built in 1882, and in a town that has had two devastating fires in its history, this is no small detail. The red brick and white facade has always been one of my favorite things to photograph. But while the outside is stunning to look at, the inside is a fantastic museum that I highly recommend you visit. There are countless artifacts and photographs to look at as you stroll through this historic landmark. The restored courtroom upstairs is breathtaking. When you consider that this was the room where men were sentenced to death, it’s no surprise that this room has a heavy energy to it. While you’re there, don’t forget to walk outside, behind the building, to see a replica of the gallows where five men were hung in 1884. All five of them were buried in Boothill, the cemetery just outside of town that draws in historians and ghost hunters alike every year. These men were found guilty in the courthouse after participating in a robbery/mass shooting that is remembered today as the Bisbee Massacre. Bisbee is a fantastic mountain town not far from Tombstone. It is now home to many museums and historical markers as well, and I highly recommend you stop by while in the area.

Big Nose Kate’s Saloon is a hotspot for locals and tourists alike. It sits on the property that was The Grand Hotel from 1880 until 1882 when it burned down in the first of the two fires that the town would have to endure. The Grand Hotel had a short life but is still remembered for its historical significance. After all, Ike Clanton and the McLaury brothers were registered there the night before the gunfight at the OK Corral. Big Nose Kate’s Saloon is a very cool place to visit, but during the high season it can get crowded and loud. I’ve never really appreciated it before, because it’s always been hard to get inside.

Allen Street at night is shockingly quiet and almost eerie

During one of my last trips there with my family we decided to head into town at night for the first time, and it is a completely different experience. The tourists were gone, and the place was almost empty except for a few locals huddled up to the bar chatting about their day. This bar was originally in the basement, and thankfully was spared during the devastating fire. I love looking at it, and imagining how many cowboys and lawmen leaned on that very spot. My family and I each got a beer that night, and just sat back at a table, taking it all in. I have to tell you this was a phenomenal moment that I can’t even describe. I’m not the biggest historian in the world, but I am fascinated with the tales of the wild west, and Tombstone is one of my favorite movies. Do yourself a favor: when you get to Tombstone, go during the week after kids are back in school, and grab a beer in Big Nose Kate’s Saloon… it will feel like the ghosts of the past are sitting alongside you.

The most notable haunting in the Saloon is the spirit of a man referred to only as the Swamper. He was a janitor of the Grand Hotel, and resided in the basement. He spent a long time digging into the walls of the basement, trying to reach the mines that ran underneath the town. It was silver he was after, like so many others, but it is unknown to this day if he ever found it. Is his spirit trying to protect his find? Or is it possible he is still searching long after his death?

The Bird Cage Theatre is one of the very few original buildings still standing from the days that Wyatt Earp and his brothers walked these streets. It was a theater, saloon, gambling parlor, and brothel all in one, and it saw many fights during its time. In fact, there are numerous bullet holes in the walls, and in the original bar that still stands today. The Bird Cage Theatre is by far the most famous for being haunted. You can partake in ghost hunting tours in there at night but even during the day, the air is heavy and thick and you could swear that you hear phantom noises all around you. Famous paranormal groups such as Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures have all investigated here. Perhaps the most famous of the many artifacts in this now-museum is the gold-trimmed Black Moriah that was used in the late 1880s as the funeral carriage. It most notably carried those that died after the gunfight at the OK Corral to the Boothill graveyard.

One day when my brother and I were walking through the Bird Cage Theatre, we were stopped by an older woman who appeared to be in shock. She was holding a digital camera, and had to share her finding with us, almost as if she wanted validation for what she thought she saw. As we peered over her shoulder we could see it was a photograph of the Black Moriah, and just above the seat at the front of the carriage there was a faint white image in the photograph in the shape of a person. Did she fake this? Perhaps, but would she alter a photograph and then put it back on a digital camera on the spot? I have no idea. And this would be going to great lengths for someone to do that just to trick a few tourists as they pass through. This memory has stuck with me for all these years, and it still sends a chill down my spine when I think about it.

Lastly, I did want to go a bit more into detail about the Boothill graveyard. This may sound like a morbid and boring stop to make, but it is an amazing site to explore and one I highly recommend. There is a gift shop of course, but once you walk out the back door you are met with a view of countless white crosses against a backdrop of the Arizona desert that rise into mountains in the horizon. It’s quite magnificent. You will find the graves of the men that were hung outside the Tombstone Courthouse, as well as the spot where the McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton were laid to rest after the famous gunfight. But the graves that had the biggest impact on me were the many crosses that simply read “Unknown” which is heartbreaking to look at. Who were they? How did they die? The fact that there are so many unknown people buried in this cemetery makes it no surprise that many claim this land is haunted.

This photograph was taken from inside Boothill, and while the intention was to photograph a friend dressed up as a cowboy simply for fun, it also captured a figure in the background that many believe is an apparition. What makes this even more shocking is the photographer was none other than Terry Ike Clanton, a direct relative of the Ike Clanton. He also claims that based on where they were standing at the time of taking this photograph, it appears this figure was looking off towards where Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, and Tom McLaury are buried. At the time, the two men don’t remember seeing anyone standing in the area, and to this day the photograph has never been debunked.

Tombstone, Arizona is indeed the town too tough to die. It has sustained two major fires, financial struggles, and a slew of murders, as well as one of the most famous wild west gunfights in American history. Whether you believe in ghosts or simply have an admiration for history, Tombstone is one of the greatest places you can visit. And once you do spend some time there, it will continue to call you back, over and over.

Stay scared,
Dark Princess