Flashback Friday - 1881 Gunfight At The O.K. Corral

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I love the movie Tombstone that is based on this historical event.  Basically this was a 30 second gunfight that has gone down in history as one of the most famous of all time.  So what led up to this gunfight and why is it so famous?

Tombstone the Movie 1993

Basically it all came down to a long standing feud between the outlaw group the Cowboys and the Earp brothers.  The Cowboys were stealing cattle and horses among other crimes and continually put death threats against the Earps for trying to interfere with their operations.  This continued to brew until the day of the infamous gun fight.

Tombstone AZ Around 1881

At around 3:00 pm on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory the infamous outlaws called the cowboys faced off with the lawmen of Tombstone.  In the 30 second battle none of the lawmen were killed only wounded and 3 of the outlaws were killed (Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton).


The Cowboys (outlaws)
  • Billy Claiborne
  • Ike Clanton
  • Billy Clanton (killed)
  • Tom McLaury (killed)
  • Frank McLaury (killed)

The Lawmen (good guys)
  • Town Marshal Virgil Earp (wounded)
  • Special Policeman Morgan Earp (wounded)
  • Special Policeman Wyatt Earp
  • Temporary Policeman Doc Holliday (grazed)
Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton (left to right)


"Despite its name, the gunfight did not take place within or next to the O.K. Corral, which fronted Allen Street and had a rear entrance lined with horse stalls on Fremont Street. The shootout actually took place in a narrow lot on the side of C. S. Fly's Photographic Studio on Fremont Street, six doors west of the O.K. Corral's rear entrance. Some members of the two opposing parties were initially only about 6 feet (1.8 m) apart. About 30 shots were fired in 30 seconds. Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton were killed. Ike Clanton subsequently filed murder charges against the Earps and Doc Holliday. The lawmen were exonerated by a local justice of the peace after a 30-day preliminary hearing and then by a local grand jury." (Source: Wikipedia)

Restored O.K. Corral

All in all, this makes a great story and in turn made some great western movies!  So lets give a shout out to all the lawmen out there!

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