Stories of gunslingers and frontier lawmen will never lose their appeal. Growing up in Tucson, I became fascinated by Arizona’s rich local history. I especially loved the stories of Wyatt Earp, famed gunslinger and lawman who survived the deadly shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone. If you’re planning on visiting Tombstone when you join the CLDA conference in Phoenix, knowing a bit of the background history will enrich your trip.
Wyatt Earp’s Early Life
The man who would become famous in the Southwest was actually born in Illinois in 1848. As a young lad, Earp repeatedly ran off from home to try to join the Union Army, to no avail. He got a taste of a lawman’s life early on. When his father, the local constable resigned, Earp got the job. After his first wife, Urilla Sutherland, died of typhoid, Earp grew despondent and pulled up stakes to move around the Indian Territory. He eventually settled in Dodge City for a while, where he met Doc Holliday and joined the city’s police force.
The Legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Earp’s brother, Virgil, and other members of the Earp family flocked to Tombstone, AZ to take advantage of the silver rush. Earp joined his family there in 1879, and the two brothers began working in law enforcement. In 1881, Earp and his brother were chasing down a group of cowboys that had robbed a stagecoach. Earp struck a deal with a local rancher, Ike Clanton, who knew the cowboys. But Clanton turned on the Earp brothers, and the feud led to the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Doc Holliday joined the Earp brothers as they fought the Clanton gang. Miraculously, Earp, Holliday, and Virgil all survived, but the gunfight was the catalyst for Wyatt Earp’s decision to leave Tombstone.
There’s no question that Arizona has a rich and colorful history, another reason why I’m proud to call it my home. I look forward to meeting the fellow attendees at the CLDA conference in Phoenix this year, and to introducing the area’s many attractions to you.
