Page 98 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

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0 Bisbee w Kartchner Robinson Leigh (1866–1955) and
Road map C5. * 5,300. @ Caverns State Park Frederic Remington (1861–1909).
n Visitor Center, 478 Dart Rd. (520) Road map C5. Tel (520) 586-2283. The pink buildings, designed in
432-3554. ∑ discoverbisbee.com Open mid-Dec–May: 8am–6pm; Jun– the Spanish Colonial Revival style
(see p26), are also of interest.
This is one of the most mid-Dec: 9am–5pm; cave tours 9am–
4pm by reservation only). Closed Dec
atmospheric mining towns 25. & 7 8 obligatory.  r Chiricahua
in the Southwest. The discovery ∑ azstateparks.com/kartchner National
of copper here in the 1880s
sparked a mining rush, and by The Kartchner Caverns are Monument
the turn of that century Bisbee one of Arizona’s great natural Road map D5. Tel (520) 824-3560.
was the largest city between wonders. Located in the Open 8:30am–4:30pm daily. Closed
St. Louis and San Francisco. Whetstone Mountains, the Thanksgiving, 25 Dec. & 7 8 
Victorian buildings such as the caves were discovered in 1974, ∑ nps.gov/chir
landmark Copper Queen Hotel Re-enactment of the gunfight at the OK Corral, Tombstone when two cavers crawled
still dominate the historic town through a sinkhole in a hillside The Chiricahua Mountains were
center, while attractive clusters with the ensuing silver rush. One area is the Rose Tree Museum, into 7 acres (3 ha) of caverns Orange-and-white column formations at once the homeland of a band
of houses cling to the sides of of the wildest towns in the West, home of what is reputedly the filled with colorful formations. Kartchner Caverns of Apache people and an
the surrounding mountains. Tombstone was soon full of world’s largest rosebush. There In order to protect the caves, impenetrable base from which
Visitors can tour the mines prospectors, gamblers, cowboys, is also the Bird Cage Theater, they kept their discovery a e Amerind they launched attacks on
that once flourished here, such and law-men. In its heyday, it once a bawdy dance hall and secret for 14 years, as they settlers in the late 1800s. This
as the deep underground was larger than San Francisco. bordello, and so-named for the explored this wonderland Foundation 19-sq-mile (49-sq-km) area
Queen Mine or, a short drive More than $37 million worth of covered “crib” compartments, or of speleotherms, or cave Road map C5. n 2100 N. Amerind now preserves stunning rock
south of town, the Lavender silver was extracted from the cages, hanging from the ceiling, formations, made of layers of Rd., Dragoon. Tel (520) 586-3666. formations, which were created
Open Pit Mine. Exhibits at the mines between 1880 and 1887, in which ladies of the night calcite deposited by dripping Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. by a series of volcanic eruptions
Bisbee Mining and Historical when miners struck an aquifer plied their trade. Nearby is the or flowing water over millions Closed Mon, public hols. & around 27 million years ago.
Museum illustrate the realities and flooded the mine shafts. once-rowdy Crystal Palace of years. In 1988 the land was ∑ amerind.org Massive rocks balanced on small
of mining and frontier life here. In 1962 “the town too tough Saloon, which is still a bar. purchased by the state, but it pedestals, soaring rock spires,
to die” became a National Just north of town, the took 11 years to complete the The Amerind Foundation is one and enormous stone columns
Historic Landmark, and, famous Boothill Cemetery development that would allow of the most important private make up the bizarre landscape,
with much of its historic is full of the graves of those public access while conserving archaeological and ethnological visible from the monument’s
downtown immaculately who perished in Tombstone, the special conditions that museums in the country. The scenic drive and hiking trails.
preserved, it attracts peacefully or otherwise. This enable these “wet” caves to name Amerind is a contraction The nearby town of Willcox
many visitors, all eager evocative place is not without continue growing. of “American Indian,” and this houses the Rex Allen Arizona
to sample the unique the occasional spot of humor. Before entering, visitors are collection contains tens of thou- Cowboy Museum, devoted to
atmosphere. Allen Look for the marker lamenting introduced to the geology of sands of artifacts from different a native son who became a
Street, with its wooden the death of George Johnson, the formations at the Discovery Native American cultures. All famous movie cowboy, starring
boardwalks, shops, and hanged by mistake in 1882, Center. Visitors must not touch aspects of Native American life in 19 films in the 1950s.
restaurants, is the town’s which reads: “He was right, we the features, as skin oils stop are shown here, with displays
The Victorian mining town of Bisbee clings to the slopes main thoroughfare. The was wrong, but we strung him their growth. Along with huge covering Inuit masks, Cree tools, E Rex Allen Arizona
of the surrounding mountains OK Corral is preserved up, and now he’s gone.” stalactites and stalagmites, there and sculpted effigy figures from Cowboy Museum
as a museum, and is an abundance of other types Mexico’s Casas Grandes. 150 N. Railroad Ave. Tel (520) 384-
re-enactments of the infamous E OK Corral of formation such as the aptly The adjacent Fulton-Hayden 4583. Open 10am–1pm Mon, 11am–
q Tombstone gunfight between the Earp 326 E. Allen St. Tel (520) 457-3456. Open named 21-ft (6-m) soda straw, Memorial Art Gallery has works 3pm Tue–Sat. Closed public holidays.
brothers, Doc Holliday, and the 9am–5pm daily. Closed Thanksgiving, the turnip shields, and popcorn. by western artists such as William & 7 ∑ rexallenmuseum.org
Road map C5. * 1,400. n Visitor Clanton gang are staged daily at Dec 25. & 7 ∑ ok-corral.com
Center, 109 S. 4th St. (520) 457-9317.
∑ tombstonechamber.com 11am, noon, 2pm, and 3:30pm. E Tombstone Courthouse
Tombstone Courthouse on 223 Toughnut St. Tel (520) 457-3311.
Tombstone is a living legend, Toughnut Street was the seat Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed Dec 25.
forever known as the site of the of justice for the county from & 7 ∑ azstateparks.com
1881 gunfight at the OK Corral 1882 to 1929 and is now a
between the Earp brothers and state historic site. It contains
the Clanton gang (see p59). The a museum featuring the
town’s historic streets and build- restored courtroom and many
ings form one of the most popular historical exhibits and artifacts,
attractions in the Southwest. including photographs of some
Tombstone was founded by of the town’s famous characters.
Ed Schieffelin, who went pros- Toughnut Street used to be
pecting on Apache land in 1877 known as “Rotten Row,” as it was
despite a warning that “all you’ll once lined with miners’ tents,
find out there is your tombstone.” bordellos, and more than one
He found a silver mountain hundred bars.
instead, and his sardonically Among other buildings worth Tombstone Courthouse in the town center
named shanty town boomed looking for in the downtown is now a museum Massive rock spires formed by million-year-old volcanic eruptions at Chiricahua National Monument
For hotels and restaurants see pp237–8 and pp249–51 The iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign

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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm