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Tombstone is a small Old Western town in southeastern Arizona that primarily flourished from 1877 and 1890. The city quickly became a center of tension between law enforcement and outlaws, with the most well-known conflict being the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Because of such confrontations, the Old City Cemetery was used after 1883 to only bury outlaws and a few others. The cemetery eventually became known as Boothill Graveyard, referring to the number of men who died with their boots on.
During my Say Hello To America 2016 road trip, I had a drive that would take me from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Tuscon. Knowing that my grandfather had a few photographs from Tombstone, including one of the famous Lester Moore epitaph, I made the decision to take a slight detour to visit the Old Western town. A bit turned off by the throngs of tourists in town, I expected to feel the same when I reached Boothill. Boy, was I wrong! Instead, I found myself very entertained at reading the unique — and sometimes humorous — grave markers and trying to imagine the circumstances of how these outlaws had died.
Despite being an obvious tourist attraction, I still highly recommend taking the time to visit Tombstone — specifically Boothill Graveyard. But if you don’t find yourself in southeast Arizona anytime soon, enjoy this collection of the quirky grave markers that hold the stories of the men that gave the cemetery its name!
Which marker was your favorite?
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