The documented history of the American West without the Hollywood horse droppings.
We use period newspapers, court records, diaries, photographs, maps, and field research to separate documented history from popular legend.
Featured Stories
The Bisbee Massacre
A robbery in Bisbee on December 8, 1883, left blood in the streets and led to a manhunt, trials, a lynching, and the gallows.
The Murder of Morgan Earp
Shots fired through a rear window struck Morgan Earp as he played billiards in Tombstone on March 18, 1882, mortally wounding him.
From the Historical Records
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Frank Leslie and the Gunfight That Disappeared
In March 1882, two Arizona newspapers offered sharply different versions of an altercation involving Frank “Buckskin” Leslie and a man named Floyd
The Latest Stories
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Silver, Grand Central Mine and Water
The Grand Central occupied part of the great mineralized fissure that also carried the Contention Mine. Later accounts connect its discovery with prospectors Ed Williams and Jack Friday.
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The Apache County Treasury Robbery
, five masked men entered the home of Apache County Deputy Treasurer Francisco Baca in St. Johns. Before the night was over, $11,000 was gone from the county safe
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The Stage Robbery at Kane Springs Canyon
In Late May 1899, two armed robbers stopped the Globe-Florence stage in Kane Springs Canyon. One was Pearl Hart
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Tombstone Rises from the Ashes
On June 22, 1881, an explosion in the Arcade Saloon sent fire through the heart of Tombstone. Businesses, offices and homes disappeared in a few hours.
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Where it Happened
Visit the towns, mining camps, railroad stops, ranches, saloons, and desert roads where the documented history of the Tarnished West unfolded.
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The People of the Tarnished West
The lawmen, outlaws, victims, witnesses, and ordinary residents whose lives shaped the history of the Tarnished West.
Pearl Hart
Pearl Hart became one of Arizona Territory’s most notorious outlaws after robbing a stagecoach near Globe in 1899, but the documented story reaches beyond the familiar legend.
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Frank Leslie
Frank Leslie moved through Tombstone’s violent heyday as a bartender, businessman, and gunman. His documented life included deadly confrontations, imprisonment, shifting fortunes, and a reputation often distorted by legend.
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Isaac “Ike” Clanton
Ike Clanton became one of Tombstone’s most disputed figures. A rancher and cattleman tied to the Cowboy faction, he survived the O.K. Corral and remained surrounded by accusation and legend.