*Includes pictures of important people and places.
*Profiles famous people and events like the Earps, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
*Describes the sights, sounds, and history of both towns.
*Includes bibliographies for each town.
The Wild West has made legends out of many men, but it has forged a lasting legacy for Tombstone, Arizona and Deadwood, South Dakota, frontier boomtowns that have come to symbolize everything about the Old West. In many ways, these places fit all the stereotypes associated with that era in American history. Dusty places on the outskirts of civilization, Tombstone and Deadwood brought together miners, cowboys, lawmen, saloons, gambling, brothels, and everything in between, creating an environment that was always colorful and occasionally fatal.
Those characteristics might not have distinguished Tombstone or Deadwood from other frontier outposts, but some of the most famous legends of the West called these towns home, most notably the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday in Tombstone and Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane in Deadwood. Ultimately, the relationships and rivalries forged by the townspeople culminated in some of the West's most legendary events, including the murder of Hickok in 1876 and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881.
The West's most famous fight all but ensured that Tombstone would be the epicenter of Western lore, and as the city's population dwindled at the end of the 19th century, the allure of Tombstone as a tourist center took hold. Nearly half a million tourists flock to Tombstone each year, where they find a city that has cashed in on its legacy through careful preservation. Many of the historic buildings in Tombstone haven't changed much in the last 130 years, and visitors who come to the O.K. Corral or Boothill Cemetery can get an idea of what Tombstone was like in 1881.
Similarly, Wild Bill's death helped ensure Deadwood would always be relevant, but in many ways the Deadwood craze was over almost before it began. During the 19th century, Deadwood's population reached its peak in the 1880s with a population of just less than 4,000, and fires, mining, and the closing of the frontier all made sure the population never grew. Today, barely 1,000 call Deadwood home, and it remains more an object of curiosity and tourism than anything else.
Tombstone and Deadwood comprehensively covers the history of both towns, profiles the people who called them home, and highlights the places and events that made them famous. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Tombstone and Deadwood like you never have before.