If one makes a trip to Tombstone, Arizona, they might feel like they’ve just gone back in time. The infamous town where the O.K. Corral shootout took place back in 1881 continues to inspire visitors and locals to dress up in Old Wild West garb and reenact memorable moments of that iconic period.
It’s Still 1882 In Tombstone, Arizona
Located about 70 miles southeast of Tucson, Tombstone’s Western false-front buildings line a picture-worthy six-block historic area. It’s here that travelers can hop into scarlet-colored, horse-drawn stagecoaches and visit places like Wyatt Earp’s Oriental Saloon and the Birdcage Theater with their famous costumed cowboy shows.
Once there, you can easily forget the year is 2022 and not 1882. The town draws visitors and fans of the Wild West who use the opportunity to dress up like it’s 1882 all over again. In addition to the Saloon’s bartenders and professional actors who are always dressed up in their respective garb, many of the visitors also show up wearing Old West clothes.
Inspired by the Lore of the Wild West
It’s not all a game of dress-up, however. Drawing from the lengthy lore of the Wild West, locals have organized a wide range of activities to make things more realistic and extra engaging for visitors. From reenacting the famous O.K. Corral gunfight to visiting the Goodenough Silver Mine, the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, and the Boothill Graveyard sights, people can really sink into this iconic era where money, power, and justice were both plenty and none at the same time.
Tombstone is a small town where tourism has gradually become its main industry. There’s always something happening, either a cowboy show or a good ol’ Wild West dress-up fashion shows that visitors can take part in. Of course, it’s all pretend, but when everyone is doing it, it begins to really feel like you’re back in time.