Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (Photo)

http://www.charlieosborn.com/walker-tombstone-az/index.shtml ^ | 3/24/2103 | Self

[Signalman]

As someone interested in the history of the American old West, I found this photograph quite interesting.

It was taken circa 1932 by photographer John Walker and shows the location of the sight where, 50 years or so earlier, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place in Tombstone, AZ at 3:00PM on October 26, 1881.

The scene depicted in the photo is probably close to what it looked like at the time of the famous confrontation that occurred between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan) and Doc Holliday, and "The Cowboys" (the Clanton Brothers, Ike and Billy and the McLaury brothers).

The scene is looking south just to the east of the intersection of Fremont St. and 3rd St. in Tombstone, AZ. The street in the foreground is Fremont St.

Contrary to popular belief, the gunfight did not take place at the O.K. Corral, which was located 150 feet or so to the east of the alley where the shootings actually occurred. The O.K. Corral was located between Fremont St. and Allen St. which runs parallel to, and is south of, Fremont St.

The structure on the left of the alley was Mollie Fly's boarding House and the one on the right was the house owned by the then Mayor William Harwood.

You can check Google Earth (Fremont and 3rd St.) to see what this location looks like currently.

More photos are at the link.

[bgill]

It was a small area so it’s amazing only 3 died in those few seconds. The tv show, “Diggers”, went over the ground with their metal detectors. The two digger hosts are a bit over the top but the locales are interesting.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/diggers/episodes/tombstone-nectar/

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This is remembered because of the colorful lawmen and badmen fighting the less colorful badmen. But it is far from the largest or bloodiest battles that took place in Arizona.

First (July, 1776) and Second and subsequent Battles of the Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate (Spanish v. Apache). Lots of Spanish and Apaches killed.

http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Terrent.html

Battle of Big Dry Wash (aka “Big Dry Fork”) (resulting in four Medals of Honor.) About 60 Apache warriors vs. 350 US Cavalry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Big_Dry_Wash

The Pleasant Valley War (aka “The Graham-Tewksbury feud”). Some 20-34 killed. Both families about wiped out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Valley_War

The Attack on the Apache Fortress (1872), 76 dead Apaches.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/apache.htm

[FlingWingFlyer]

Although the author appears to believe the old liberal line that the Old West portrayed in the movies never really existed, I found this book to be an excellent read. He throws the politics of Arizona at that time into his story and it shows that, no matter how much things change, they always remain the same. The only thing I found a little irritating about the book was that he starts off by spewing the old liberal DemocRAT line, “The Old West in the movies never really existed” and then goes on to describe the events as they are portrayed in the movie, “Tombstone”. He wraps it all up by again saying that the “Old West” portrayed in the movies never really existed.

[Uncle Chip]

The last time I was there the OK Corral was behind a bar. You go out a door and it was about a 30x30 square foot boxed/fenced in area. Less than impressive.

[elcid1970]

There was a 1972 series called “David L. Wolper Presents” which depicted the gunfight as though news cameras were present, in black & white with no sound except voiceover (”struck in the calf by a McLaury bullet, Virgil Earp goes down but quickly rises”). Very realistic effect.