Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The gunfight at the OK Corral is one of the most famous gun battles in American history. It took place on October 26, 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona, between a group of lawmen and a group of outlaws. The lawmen were led by Wyatt Earp, who was the town marshal, and his brothers Virgil and Morgan, while the outlaws were led by a group of men known as the Cowboys. The gunfight lasted only 30 seconds, but it had a significant impact on the history of the American West.
The events leading up to the gunfight began when tensions between the Earps and the Cowboys escalated. The Cowboys were a group of outlaws who engaged in cattle rustling, robbery, and murder. The Earps were determined to put an end to their criminal activities. The conflict came to a head when the Cowboys threatened the Earps and their friend, Doc Holliday. The two groups met at the OK Corral, where the gunfight took place. In the end, three of the Cowboys were killed, while the Earps and Holliday emerged unscathed. The gunfight at the OK Corral has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and TV shows.
It has become an iconic event in American history and a symbol of the American West. The gunfight has also been the subject of much controversy, with some people arguing that the Earps were the heroes of the story and others arguing that they were just as bad as the Cowboys. Despite the controversy, the gunfight at the OK Corral remains an important event in the history of the American West.
Gunfight At The O.K. Corral Media
Southeastern Arizona near Tombstone in 1887
Fire insurance map of Tombstone in 1886. The OK Corral is bounded by 3rd and 4th Streets and Fremont and Allen Streets. A driveway exited on Fremont Street, where the gunfight took place.
Newspaper coverage of the fight
Virgil Earp, wounded during the gunfight, later ambushed by the Cowboys
Wyatt Earp, took matters into his own hands when the Cowboys who ambushed Virgil and murdered Morgan went free
Ike Clanton swore multiple times he would kill the Earps but ran from the gunfight
Pima County Sheriff Charles A. Shibell appointed Wyatt Earp as deputy sheriff over eastern Pima County.
A Kinnear Express stagecoach operating from Tombstone to Bisbee in the 1880s. This thorough-brace stagecoach used thick leather straps to support the body of the carriage and serve as shock-absorbing springs.
Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson (standing) in 1876 as lawmen in Dodge City, Kansas
Frank Stilwell, suspected of killing Morgan, murdered by the Earps
