O.K facts for kids
|
O.K. Corral
Tombstone Historic District |
|
Allen Street frontage
|
|
 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Tombstone, Arizona |
|---|---|
| NRHP reference No. | 66000171 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | July 4, 1961 |
The O.K. Corral was a place where people kept or rented horses and wagons. It was open from about 1879 to 1888 in Tombstone, Arizona. Tombstone was a busy mining town in the American Southwest.
Even though it's famous for the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the actual shootout didn't happen inside the corral itself. It happened nearby, in a narrow space on Fremont Street. This spot was a few doors west of the corral's back entrance.
A 1957 movie called Gunfight at the O.K. Corral made the shootout very famous. But it also made people think the fight happened right at the O.K. Corral. Today, the O.K. Corral is still advertised as the shootout location. Visitors can even pay to see a reenactment of the gunfight there. The corral is now part of the Tombstone Historic District.
Contents
The O.K. Corral's Early Days
At the time of the famous gunfight on October 26, 1881, the O.K. Corral was one of many places to keep horses in Tombstone. The town had about 5,300 people back then.
"Honest John" Montgomery and Edward Monroe Benson owned the O.K. Corral. Most people in Tombstone didn't own their own horses. When they needed to travel, they would rent a horse from a livery like the O.K. Corral. The corral also took care of horses passing through town. They rented out buggies, carriages, and wagons too.
A big fire on May 25, 1882, destroyed almost all of Tombstone's business area. The O.K. Corral and its buildings were completely burned down.
How the O.K. Corral Became Famous
After the fire, the O.K. Corral was rebuilt. It started to get attention from the public in 1931. This was when author Stuart N. Lake published a book about Wyatt Earp, called Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal. The book came out two years after Earp died.
This book became very popular during the Great Depression. It also inspired the 1946 movie My Darling Clementine, directed by John Ford. Then, in 1957, the movie Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was released. This movie made the shootout widely known by that name. It also wrongly made people believe the fight happened at the O.K. Corral.
Where the Gunfight Really Happened
The famous gunfight involved the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday against a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys. Before the fight, the Cowboys had left their horses at a different stable. They then went to a gun shop. Wyatt Earp saw them there and thought they were getting more bullets.
The Cowboys then walked near the O.K. Corral. Witnesses heard them threatening to harm the Earps. People reported these threats and the armed Cowboys to Tombstone City Marshal Virgil Earp.
Tombstone had a rule passed on April 19, 1881. It said that anyone carrying a weapon like a knife or gun had to leave it at a stable or saloon when they entered town. This rule was why City Marshal Virgil Earp decided to confront the Cowboys. This confrontation led to the shootout.
The Earps and Doc Holliday walked down Fremont Street, looking for the Cowboys. They passed the back entrance of the O.K. Corral. They found the Cowboys gathered in a narrow lot. This lot was next to C. S. Fly's boarding house and photography studio. The gunfight happened in this narrow lot and on Fremont Street itself.
The O.K. Corral, located on Allen Street, is part of the Tombstone Historic District.
The O.K. Corral Today
In 1964, a group of investors bought the O.K. Corral and other historic places in Tombstone. Today, the corral is still advertised as the place where the gunfight happened, even though that's not quite right.
Its connection to the legendary gunfight brings many visitors to Tombstone. People can pay to watch a reenactment of the gunfight three times a day at the historic corral site. The actual spot where most of the gunfight took place is now a living history museum. Fremont Street, where parts of the fight happened, is open to the public.
In 2004, the town's focus on tourism caused some concern. The National Park Service (NPS) thought about removing Tombstone's status as a National Historic Landmark District. This status was given in 1961 because Tombstone was "one of the best preserved examples of a rugged frontier town." Since then, the community has worked with the NPS to protect its history better.
Why the O.K. Corral is Important
Even though the historic O.K. Corral wasn't the exact spot of the famous gunfight, its connection to the legend is very important. This connection helped create the historic district in Tombstone. It also helped place the town on the National Register of Historic Places.
