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Revision as of 01:44, 28 January 2006 by Sbharris (talk | contribs) (→Tourism)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Tombstone is a city located in Cochise County, Arizona, founded in 1879. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,504, a decline from its early years when its population was larger than San Francisco's.
In the summer of 1877 prospector Ed Schieffelin was working the hills east of the San Pedro river when he came across a vein of very rich silver ore in a high plateu called Gooseneck Flats, in the southwest Arizona Territory. When he filed his mining claim he named it the "Tombstone" as befitting the irony of the situation. Others had told him that the only thing he would find among the waterless hills and still-fighting Apaches, was his grave.
Tombstone was founded in 1879, taking its name from the mining claim. Within two years, fueled by the wealth from the mines, Tombstone became one of the most sophisticated towns west of the Rockies, with a population between 5,000 and 15,000, and services including refrigeration, ice and ice cream, running water, telegraph and soon after, telephone service. An extensive service industry (laundry, construction, restaurants etc.) was provided by Chinese immigrants under the leadership of a powerful woman known by the name China Mary.
Unfortunately, Tombstone remained relatively isolated without a railroad, in the middle of desert federal territory which remained unpopulated and wild. In these circumstances, Tombstone also became known as one of the deadliest towns in the West. Uncivilized southern gangs from the surrounding country, known as "cow-boys" were at odds with the sophisticated northern capitalists and immigrant miners who ran the town. On October 26, 1881 the situation exploded in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
After the mid 1880's when the silver mines had been tapped out and became increasingly less profitable, Tombstone declined.
Tourism
With its relative lack of water, and its quick wooden constuction, 1880's Tombstone was prey to several devastating fires. Tombstone nearly became a ghost-town after the decline of mining, saved for many years only by its status as the Cochise County Seat (which was later moved to Bisbee.
Tombstone is home to perhaps the most famous Boot Hill graveyards of the Old West.
Currently tourism and western memorabilia are the main commercial enterprises; a July 2005 CNN article notes that Tombstone gets approximately 450,000 tourist visitors each year.
The town's focus on tourism has threatened the town's designation as a National Historic District, a designation it earned in 1961 as "one of the best preserved specimens of the rugged frontier town of the 1870s and '80s." In 2004, the National Park Service (NPS) declared the designation threatened, seeking to work with the community to develop an appropriate stewardship program. The inappropriate alterations to the district cited by the NPS include:
- Placing “historic” dates on new buildings
- Failing to distinguish new construction from historic structures
- Covering authentic historic elevations with inappropriate materials
- Replacing historic features instead of repairing them
- Replacing missing historic features with conjectural and unsubstantiated materials
- Building incompatible additions to existing historic structures and new incompatible buildings within the historic district
- Using illuminated signage, including blinking lights surrounding historic signs
- Installing hitching rails and Spanish tile-covered store porches when such architectural features never existed within Tombstone
Also, the dirt roads of the city have been paved, which many perceive as a violation of the town's historic status.
As of Jan, 2006, the Tombstone Restoration Committee is hard at work restoring much of the historical buildings and town. The roads have been un-paved and are once again dirt.
Geography
Tombstone is located at 31°42'57" North, 110°3'53" West (31.715940, -110.064827)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.1 km² (4.3 mi²). 11.1 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,504 people, 694 households, and 419 families residing in the city. The population density is 135.0/km² (349.8/mi²). There are 839 housing units at an average density of 75.3/km² (195.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 87.37% White, 0.60% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 8.18% from other races, and 2.53% from two or more races. 24.14% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 694 households out of which 20.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% are married couples living together, 7.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% are non-families. 32.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.17 and the average family size is 2.73.
In the city the population is spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 19.9% from 25 to 44, 32.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 49 years. For every 100 females there are 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $26,571, and the median income for a family is $33,750. Males have a median income of $26,923 versus $18,846 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,447. 17.4% of the population and 13.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.6% of those under the age of 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Tombstone Historic District from a National Park Service website
- Library of Congress links
- The Thomas Ranch The Thomas Ranch is a family owned cattle ranch since 1902
- Tombstone info and photos at Western Mining History