Tombstone was a 365/24/7 costume party. A few weeks ago, your humble author was in Tombstone, allegedly doing research for a book on fashion in the Wild West from 1850-1910. One of the fascinating little tidbits I learned was that Tombstone was one of the top locations for costumers and reenactors.
The SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) has two affiliate clubs in Tombstone and one in Sierra Vista. The primary group in Tombstone is the Tombstone Vigilantes, who have been been active in the community since 1948. They perform in Tombstone on the second, fourth, and fifth Sundays of each month. Helldorado Town specializes in gunfights, and is located on Toughnut Street. The premier location for “shootouts,” quite naturally, is the OK Corral.
Because the men’s clothing of that era was so spectacular and looked so good, the ordinary guy can put on his ‘gunfighter’ garb, or dress up like a cowboy, and transform himself from so-so looking male into the ultimate alpha male. Consequently the streets of Tombstone are filled with numerous Wyatts, Virgils, Morgans, and Docs - until recently.
Not long before I arrived in Tombstone back in March, one of the more popular “characters” went slouching into a friend’s eatery. She greeted him, “Well if it isn’t (we shall say) Joe Blow!”
“You can’t call me that any more.”
“What is going on now?” she asked.
It seems the new town marshal, Larry Talvy, was told to enforce certain laws dealing with street performances. If a man or woman was dressed to “portray” any historical or fictional character, and did not have a permit, they could be fined, for illegal performances. The newly elected mayor had struck again.
Stephen Keith and his group have been doing a 4:30pm “walk-down” Allen Street from around Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, to the OK Corral, where they would daily shoot it up for the tourists. In true Tombstone fashion there are several versions of what happened next, and why it happened. Allegedly there are some new “merchants” in town who did not like the idea of the street players drawing customers from their stores on a regular basis.
This author suspects that it is entirely possible there are some Machiavellian forces also at work. Let’s just say there are certain individuals behind the scenes who are such consummate troublemakers and so very vindictive…and let it go at that.
Jane Kukowski, who owns Helldorado Town (which now has a putt-putt course) sees the Huckleberry Players as competition to her business, but stands behind them 100%. She knows the 4:30 walk down, and the Players are good for Tombstone, and that only enhances her business.
Article comments
1 - Jordan Richardson
Did you know in Tombstone you can now be arrested for walking down the street dressed like a cowboy and subjected to anywhere from a $600-5,000 fine and up to two years in jail?
There goes my weekend!
2 - Joanne Huspek
Damn interesting place SJ. Beats Detroit all to hell.