Go visit it! Tombstone is a historic city founded in 1879 by a silver prospector in Pima County, Arizona Territory. Today, Tombstone is located in Cochise County in the furthest southeast corner of Arizona. It’s only 30 miles from the Mexico border. The town itself is set upon a mesa over the Goodenough Mine. Silver mining made Tombstone a Boomtown, setting the scene for the famous site of the epic O.K. Corral gunfight. The shootout took place at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, and lasted just 30 seconds.
The historic gravesite that includes the storied tombstone epitaphs for Tom McLaury, Billy Clanton, and Frank McLaury are there to see. Within two years of Tombstone’s founding, the town was booming with four churches, two banks, three newspapers, an icehouse, a bowling alley, an ice cream parlor, saloons, and more.
Why Was the Building on Fire in the Middle of the O.K. Corral Gunfight Scene
Some people have wondered why a building burned as the four lawmen headed through town to the O.K. Corral. In the movie, no explanation for the fire’s source is given. And, while it is historically accurate that many fires devastated the town of Tombstone in the early 1880s, a factor leading to its ghost town status, it seemed a bit random that one building was burning with no one tending to it.
In the movie, a building on fire is part of the dramatic buildup to the shoot-out scene. It represents some serious fire and brimstone biblical symbolism. And it’s a great background to the shot of the four horsemen on their way in. The coming of life's end and mayhem is officially introduced.
Where Did the O.K. Corral Gunfight Really Go Down?
In the movie, the dramatic scene takes place in the O.K. Corral. In actuality, it took place in a nearby area. The first shots were fired six doors down in a narrow back alleyway. It measured 1,520-feet wide and it was located just west of 312 Fremont Street near a 12-room boarding house. After several shots were fired, the fight spilled out into the street.
In the movie, cowboy Clanton runs inside the gallery and shoots at the Earps from a window. Actually, Ike Clanton ran inside and escaped out a back door. And Billy Claiborne took off before shooting commenced. The flare-up was diffused by town marshals.
Tombstone’s Fight Scene Parodied by Anchorman
In great fun, the cast of "Anchorman" performed a hilarious dramatization of the O.K. Corral gunfight. Ready to battle ferocious foes, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Paul Rudd, and Will Ferrell come strutting into town for a fierce throwdown.
They encounter more foes than they bargained for with actual news anchors playing parts in the movie. Their face-off includes reporters from NBC, Spanish language news, and PBS scrapping away in the epic brawl.
Box Office Buoyed by Record Second-Week Sales
For a classic Western released in the middle of the 1990s, Tombstone was an astonishing success. Positive reviews buoyed ticket sales. Released on December 25, 1993, you may recall, it racked up $56.5 million in domestic ticket sales.
Opening weekend at the box office, it brought in $6.5 million, landing it in 3rd place. That great feat was only outdone by the following week’s ticket sales. In a rare and exceptional feat, Tombstone’s second weekend at the box office increased by 35 percent! It brought in $8.7 million on its second weekend. It was the 20th best-grossing film of 1993.