who is buried at boothill graveyard

Why is it called Boot Hill?

Boot Hill was founded in 1878 on a slight hill just north west of the city. This historical cemetery was the burial ground, for all of Tombstones earliest pioneers. The name Boot Hill comes from the fact that many of these graves were filled with people that died suddenly or violently with their boots on!

Where was Big Nose Kate buried?

Arizona Pioneers Home Cemetery, Prescott, AZBig Nose Kate / Place of burialIn 1931, the 80-year-old Kate became one of the first female residents admitted to the Arizona Pioneers' Home in Prescott. She lived there until her death, five days shy of her 90th birthday. She's buried at the Arizona Pioneers' Home Cemetery, 1300 Iron Springs Road, Prescott.

Does Boot Hill really exist?

Turns out there are a number of Boot Hill cemeteries in the West, so named because many of their inhabitants died violently — with their boots on. But of all the Boot Hill cemeteries, none is as famous as Boot Hill in Tombstone, Ariz. It's a tough-looking place. No lawn, just gravel, mesquite trees and cactus.

Why were cowboys buried with their boots on?

The name itself is somewhat of a humorous commentary. So many men were being killed in these towns that local residents had little time to give them proper funerals. Hence they were, "buried with their boots on".

Where is the Indian chief Cochise buried?

Dragoon Mountains, ArizonaCochiseDiedJune 8, 1874 (aged 68–69) Cochise Stronghold, Dragoon Mountains, Arizona, U.S.BuriedDragoon Mountains, Arizona, U.S.AllegianceChiricahua Apache IndiansYears of service1861–18724 more rows

Was Katie Elder a real person?

Katie Elder was more, much more, than the title character in John Wayne's 1965 western, "The Sons of Katie Elder," She was more than the portrayal by Faye Dunaway in the 1971 film "Doc." Katie Elder was a real person, whose background was perhaps more plaid than checkered.

Are people still buried in Boot Hill?

Boothill Graveyard is a small graveyard of at least 250 interments located in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona. Also known as the "Old City Cemetery", the graveyard was used after 1883 only to bury outlaws and a few others....Boothill Graveyard (Tombstone, Arizona)Boothill GraveyardDetailsEstablished1878LocationTombstone, ArizonaCountryUnited States3 more rows

Why are old cemeteries on hills?

Asides from the “Nearer My God To Thee” explanation and other reasons given above, the hilltop location was a place where the graves would not be disturbed. It is possible that the location was someone's favorite place, a place for privacy, a place to reflect ...

Where was the original Boot Hill?

Dodge CityCemetery Location The Boot Hill Cemetery in Hays, the oldest west of the Mississippi, was named because many of the inhabitants "died with their boots on." By 1872, when the town of Dodge City, KS was founded, the Hays City Boot Hill was already well populated with 36 grave sites.

Why don't you bury with shoes on?

The shape of the feet can change dramatically after death. Rigor mortis and other body processes make the feet larger than usual and often distort the shape. Many times the shoes of the deceases no longer fit. Even with the correct size, the feet are no longer bendable, making it a challenge to place shoes upon them.

Why did cowboys wear scarves around their necks?

Originally cut from flour sacks, the 30x40 inch square cloth was most commonly tied around the neck or face for protection. They were also used as bandages for human or horse injury, for makeshift saddle rigging, and as potholders or dish rags.

Why are the dead carried out feet first?

In 19th century Europe and America, the dead were carried out of the house feet first, in order to prevent the spirit from looking back into the house and beckoning another member of the family to follow him, or so that he couldn't see where he was going and would be unable to return.

What US general is buried in Luxembourg?

PattonIn accordance with his wishes, Patton was buried with his men at Luxembourg American Cemetery. He is the only four star general buried at an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery, and arguably, one of the most famous.

How long did Big Nose Kate live?

Kate died on November 2, 1940, five days before her 90th birthday, of acute myocardial insufficiency, a condition she started showing symptoms of the day before her death.

Why is Kate's nose big?

But, we know her as Big Nose Kate, Doc Holliday's girlfriend. She didn't have a big nose. Some say she got that nickname because she had a habit of sticking her nose in other people's business. Kate and Doc were together for several years before the O.K. Corral shootout.

What was Big Nose Kate known for?

Kate Elder, also called Katie Elder, or Kate Fisher, byname Big Nose Kate, or Nosey Kate, (flourished 1877–81), plainswoman and frontier prostitute of the old American West, companion and possible wife of Doc Holliday (q.v.).

Who took the photo of Boothill Graveyard?

Read More. John Walker, an amateur photographer with an interest in Western history, took this picture of Boothill Graveyard in 1929. This image, and several other Walker photographs, is owned by Charles Osborn. It is presented here with his permission.

How many graves are there in Boothill?

Visitors to Boothill can purchase a booklet with the names & locations of about 250 graves out of the 300+ graves that are actually there. More stories about Boothill Graveyard here.

Where are famous people buried?

Yet, there are many famous people buried in Boothill Graveyard for which there is reasonable certainty as to the location of their grave. For example, China Mary was buried at Boothill in 1906. She was the undisputed ruler of Hoptown, the Chinese neighborhood in Tombstone.

Why did John Clum go to the old cemetery?

When John Clum, former editor of the Tombstone Epitaph as well as former Tombstone mayor, returned briefly to Tombstone in 1929, he went to the Old Cemetery to pay his respects to his wife, Mary. Some said he became distraught when he could not find her grave.

Why are John Walker's graves known?

Their final resting place, and many others, are known because their funerals were major events attended by hundreds, sometimes thousands of mourners & gawkers. In October 2013, we tried to replicate the John Walker photograph.

When did we try to replicate John Walker's photograph?

In October 2013, we tried to replicate the John Walker photograph. Using the shape of the hill in the distance, we think we got it about right.

Did the New Cemetery move the bodies of the deceased?

In fact, after the New Cemetery was established, many locals had the bodies of their loved ones disinterred and moved to the New Cemetery. Presumably, they didn’t feel comfortable with their deceased family members spending eternity next to thieves, murderers, rustlers, prostitutes, and Chinamen.

What was the tram used for in the 1920s?

The tram, original to the mining operations that ran during the 1920s and 30s, was used to transport buckets of silver and nickel ore from the mines to the Godbe Mill. The tramway is abandoned, but uses cables that still stretch over parts of town with its original buckets still intact.

Why is it called a boot hill?

Any historical society or Western history buff can tell you that the term “boot hill” comes from the fact that many of those buried in a boot hill graveyard died unexpectedly and violently, usually with their boots on (and occasionally even still sticking up out of the ground after hasty, shoddy burials).

What was the gun slinging in the 1870s?

The Pioche you’ll visit today is quiet and unsuspecting, but during the 1870s gun slinging was a favorite pastime in Pioche. Getting its start as a silver boomtown, it’s a no-brainer that dangerous work was being done day in and day out. Plus, life as a pioneer was tough work, only the strong survived to say the least. But, the streets of Pioche ran so red that an astonishing 72 people were laid to rest—with their boots on—before someone actually died of natural causes. That’s the level of Wild West we’re talking about.

Is Boot Hill Cemetery open?

Boot Hill Cemetery is open from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. For more information about this historic cemetery and the stories of those entombed within, make the Lincoln County Museum and Million Dollar Courthouse (open seasonally) part of your Pioche discoveries.

Is admission required to visit Boot Hill Cemetery?

No admission is required to access the historic Boot Hill Cemetery.

Is Boothill Haunted?

Boothill isn't Tombstone's first cemetery, but it's Tombstone's most notorious. Named for those "buried with their boots on," Boothill interred outlaws from 1878-1884. Their poltergeists come as no surprise.

What is Tombstone known for?

For the “Town Too Tough to Die,” Tombstone is ironically known for the dead. Gunslingers, sharp-shooters, stagecoaches, saddle bums: even the streets of this city conjure tales of the dearly departed.

When did Boothill tombstones deteriorate?

By the later nineteenth and early twentieth century, Boothill began to deteriorate. Tombstone was dwindling after the end of the mining boom, and the interments were far between.

What was the purpose of the tombstones at Boothill?

Tombstone later supplemented these defensive measures with a caretaker, ensuring Boothill's preservation and protection.

What did the journalist see in the corner of his eye?

But it was when the voice began to laugh, that the journalist panicked. He detected a humanlike shadow from the corner of his eye – a spectral figure snaking through the stones. The journalist was struck-dumb, shellshocked. The poltergeist disappeared. The unmarked grave was all that remained.

Who criticized the condition of the cemetery in Tombstone Epitaph?

Frederick Bechdolt criticized the condition of the cemetery in Tombstone Epitaph in 1923, writing that the "historical and practically only remaining Boothill Cemetery in the West was being neglected.". Bechdolt's was the first time that the Old Cemetery was called "Boothill," a moniker that would later define the allotment.

How did Mary die?

Mary died of a heart attack in 1906, interred at Boothill. Is that why she frequents the burying ground today? Is she Tombstone’s “Woman in Red”?

What was the cause of death in Tombstone?

Of those who were killed in a fight, most were killed by gunshot, by far the #1 cause of premature death in Tombstone’s early days. It wasn’t so much “The Town Too Tough To Die” as it was “The Town Where People Went To Die”.

When did Ah Lum die?

Ah Lum died in 1906 at the age of 65. He is buried nearby. The Tombstone Times has a brief but good history of the Chinese in Tombstone.

Where was Billy the Kid killed?

His body was actually delivered back to his home in Terrell, TX. When the real "Billy The Kid" was killed in New Mexico, another young, self-proclaimed "gunfighter" named Billy Clayborne (sometimes spelled Claiborne) demanded that he now be referred to as "Billy The Kid".

When was China Mary buried?

Note: a few notables, such as China Mary, were buried here after 1884 when the new Tombstone Cemetery opened at the end of Allen Street.

Was Billy Clayborne a gunfighter?

While young Billy Clayborne thought of himself as a serious gunfighter, his tombstone suggests that he wasn't all that good at it. The year after t he Gunfight Near The OK Corral, Billy demanded that "Buckskin" Frank Leslie refer to him only as "Billy The Kid". Frank refused.

Who was the Tombstone Marshall?

Here are just a few. Fred White : Tombstone Marshall from 1879 to 1880 when he was mortally wounded by "Curly Bill" Brocius. Wyatt Earp escorted "Curly Bill" to the courthouse in Tucson under heavy guard, then testified that Marshall White believed the shooting had been an accident.

Who was the Chinese woman in Tombstone?

China Mary: the undisputed ruler of Hoptown, the Chinese section of Tombstone. No one in Tombstone could hire a Chinese laborer or even a Chinese prostitute without dealing through China Mary. She controlled the underground gambling and opium dens in Hoptown.

Where is Boothill Graveyard?

A rocky burying grounds atop a hill in the historic Old West town of Tombstone, Arizona, Boothill Graveyard is a looking glass ...

What does it mean when a grave is marked as unknown?

Miners and drifters who’s names have been lost to time. Graves that are marked mostly tell a blunt tale of how a person came to be deceased. “MURDERED,” reads one in outraged capital letters, while another says “Found dead in his cabin with bullet wounds,” solemnly giving more detail. It’s up to the visitor to examine the distinction between terms like “Hanged” and “Legally Hanged.”

Where is the Rose Tree Museum?

Rose Tree Museum. Tombstone, Arizona. Jewish Pioneers Memorial. Tombstone, Arizona. See All. aoc-arrow-forward. In these modern times, death is portrayed as uncommon and tragic, often hidden from daily life. Contrast that to the rollicking days of the Wild West, where gunfights and hangings were common occurrences in the town square, ...

Can dogs be in a graveyard?

Though this has become a tourist attraction, be sure to exhibit standard levels of respect for burial places. No dogs are allowed in the graveyard unless they are certified service animals. wild west relics and reliquaries memento mori ghost towns catacombs and crypts graves graveyards gravestones cemeteries.

Is there a Jewish memorial at the site of the Jewish Pioneers?

There is also the Jewish Memorial on site that was set aside especially for Jewish Pioneers. This is interesting, because most western cemeteries of that date range will be absent of Jewish internments alltogether.

Do the original grave markers still exist?

Since many of the original grave markers were wooden, very few remnants have actually remained throughout the graveyard. Most of what visitors see there now are recreations of the originals for the sake of being able to be read and allowing the continuation of the historical mystique. But a few of the stone markers still stand proudly in the Sonoran Desert sun, reminding all who visit here of what once was.

What were the original grave markers made of?

After the new cemetery was opened up, Boothill Graveyard went neglected. The original grave markers were all made of wood, with painted inscriptions, and withered away under the elements. Some markers were stolen by souvenir hunters.

How many people were buried in the Chinese cemetery?

There was a section for all the Chinese and another area for the Jewish. It is believed some 300 persons in all were buried here. It was common for bodies to be found in various parts in and ouside of town, with no one ever being able to identify them, and they were interred with no markings, or as "unknown".

When was the Tombstone Cemetery in Allen Street opened?

It was used as the city's main cemetery until the current cemetery, "Tombstone Cemetery" at the end of Allen Street was opened up in 1884. Afterwards, additional burials would be added from time to time.

Where is Newman Haynes buried?

Clanton, Newman Haynes (Old Man), Row 2, Killed by Mexicans while driving a herd of stolen cattle. Originally buried in the Animas Valley in New Mexico, but later reinterred at Boothill. Contreras, d. 1883, Location unknown.

Who died in Boothill?

Waters, Eva, age 3 mos, Row 1, Died of scarlet fever, believed by some to be the first burial in Boothill. Waters, Tom, d. 24 Jul 1880, "Shot", Row 1, Father of Eva Waters, and believed to be T.J. Waters, who was killed because of the color of his shirt.

Who was the leader of the Bisbee Massacre?

Heath, John, b. Texas, d. 22 Feb 1884, age 32 yrs, Row 3, Leader of the Bisbee Massacre, and hanged by a lynch mob

Who published the book "Tombstone's Boothill"?

Much of the information listed below was extracted from the book, "Tombstone's Boothill" by Ben T. Traywick, published by Red Marie's Bookstore, as well as the, "Essential Guide for your tour of the Original Boothill Graveyard", both available at the graveyard curio shop. I recommend buying a copy of Traywick's book, which details the demise of many of Boothill's residents.

What is Tombstone Arizona?

Tombstone Arizona is a living showcase of American history.”. Take a minute to click on Tour the Graveyard, where characters like Lester Moore, and many others have found their final resting place.

Who is the founder of Tombstone?

Much of Tombstone’s architecture is unique to the West. While the mining boom of 1877 brought the likes of Tombstone’s founder, Edward Schieffelin, it also provided the back drop for the “shots heard around the world” at the Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Did You Know?

See more on ghostcitytours.com

Is Boothill Haunted?

The History of Boothill

Visiting Boothill