Authentic Wild West Photos That Show What Life Was Really Like In Tombstone, Arizona

From movies such as Tombstone and My Darling Clementine to the Bob Dylan melody "Tombstone Blues," the town of Tombstone is revered as one of the most iconic locations from the wild west era. Yet while many aspects of Tombstone in popular media, such as the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, were astonishingly true, others were fictionalized for the sake of entertainment. Now, thanks to 19th-century photographer C.S. Fly, we finally have a glimpse into what life was truly like in this legendary Arizona town.

Where it all began

With the legend of Tombstone already spreading across the United States, photographer C.S. Fly decided to capture the historic moments unfolding in the booming mining town. In December 1879, he and his wife Mary arrived in Tombstone where they immediately set up a temporary photo studio inside a tent. In June of the following year, they opened this studio and gallery in their 12-room boarding house.

Behind enemy lines

In March 1886, Department of Arizona General George Crook learned that feared Apache leader Geronimo was prepared to meet with him. C.S. Fly caught word of the meeting and decided that he would accompany the military man to the historic encounter. Here is a photograph of an Apache council meeting being held by Geronimo himself.

Making a living

For much of the 19th century, Tombstone was a budding mining town. Here, we see the entrance to the ever-prosperous Tough Nut Mine. This mine was owned by Tombstone founder Ed Schieffelin, along with his brother Al and partner Richard Gird.

The herd

John Horton Slaughter was a celebrated cowboy, lawman, and rancher, known for dedicating his life to the security of both Arizona and New Mexico. The men pictured here were members of John Slaughter's Ranch Outfit; cowboys tasked with bringing Slaughter's first herd to Arizona.