The most notorious ghost town in Arizona has a graveyard equal in notoriety. And the story behind this famous cemetery is as unnerving as the jokes written on many of the headstones found on the graves.
The next time you're in Tombstone, don't skip the chance to pay a visit to the town's famous graveyard, the Boothill Cemetery.
Like the rest of old Tombstone, this much-visited cemetery has been restored, and even embellished a bit. But the cemetery — like every soul interred here — is real, and the story behind this place and the people buried here may chill you to the bone.
Shown here in 1940 prior to restoration, the Boothill Cemetery in Tombstone is much like other boothill graveyards found in the Southwest.
The term "boothill" is derived from the many outlaws (obviously from out of town) who died with their boots on. Since they were from out of town, they were buried here in Tombstone where they died, as opposed to being interred with family, as is customary in the U.S.
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But if you think that's sad (to be buried all alone and without family), consider this...
This cemetery, which was first used in 1884, was the town's cemetery. So that means the outlaws buried here could be buried next to the people they killed. Do you think that's enough to upset the energy in this burial ground?
What's more: it is common knowledge that many of the outlaw graves are very shallow. The rocky and dry terrain prevented many graves from being as deep as is now customary.
The notorious outlaws buried side-by-side with victims of their heinous crimes is but one of the unsettling things about Boothill.
Another is the lighthearted epitaphs that have embellished many of the restored/replaced headstones.
The cemetery is the final resting place for notorious cattle rustlers, stagecoach robbers, bank robbers and outlaws who were found guilty of other illegal activities.
And today, as people wander through one of the most popular boothill graveyards in the Southwest, laughter is a common sound echoing around the cemetery, as visitors from all over get a chuckle from the clever epitaphs found throughout the burial ground.
What is all of this getting at? This notorious boothill cemetery in Arizona has much unrest. Have you visited Boothill Cemetery in Tombstone, and did you feel the uneasiness? We’d love to know!
Boothill Cemetery is located at 408 AZ-80, Tombstone, AZ 85638. It’s open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You’ll need to stop by the Boothill Cemetery Gift Shop and pay a nominal $3 entry fee to enter. (Kids 15 and younger are free). Tombstone Boothill Graveyard is managed by the City of Tombstone.
For a look at some additional disturbing graveyards found throughout Arizona, keep reading with this previous article.
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