Bill & Teresa's Excellent Adventure: 2) The Town Too Tough to Die, Tombstone, AZ

     If our quick stopover to Alamogordo was less than impressive, we thought our next stop would be guaranteed fun. It was, but it wasn't, but it should be and could be. We stopped in Tombstone, Arizona, the town too tough to die.

Tombstone, AZ

     We figured that since we were driving half way across the country anyway, why not stop and see this legendary city?
     I think the key word in the above sentence is 'legendary.' For me, anything affiliated with a 'legend' is old. Of course, old is not a bad thing. But I wonder as our nation's older population gets even older will the things that are legendary be forgotten and eventually erased?

     My point is, Tombstone still means a great deal to the 50-85+ year old demographic. But based on the ages of the people we saw in' the town too tough to die'.... Tombstone might not be dead, but it definitely appears on life support for anyone younger.

Tombstone Newspaper

     The picture on the right doesn't show it very good, but if you look at the headline below the big picture it reads: "Hope for town's future."
     The article states: "Tombstone business owners are uncertain about the future." There's plenty of optimism throughout the article but even a lifelong Tombstone resident and business owner admits, "It's not as good as it used to be... There's less people."
     We saw exactly what she means. During our visit, our hotel was almost empty, our restaurant for supper was practically empty and when we left after eating,,, Tombstone's most famous street, Allen Street, looked like a ghost town and it was only 8:30ish at night.

Historic Allen St./Tombstone, AZ

     My takeaway from Tombstone is/was 'the town too young to die' is both wonderful and borderline pitiful.
     It's wonderful because I'm old enough to appreciate the history and old enough to live in a different speed zone, but barely.
    What I mean is, I'm at the bottom of the 50-85+ age demo who doesn't need fast paced entertainment. Our demographic is willing to read, wonder and imagine even if the town's trimmings have become a little folksy and corny.
     But I feel it would be the rare 25-50-year old who would take Tombstone seriously.
     Tombstone's town fathers have done a fantastic job of placing historical markers up and down the streets once sauntered by outlaws, whores, gamblers and lawmen. There may be many younger people who will take the time to stop and read, but I'd wager many, many more young people will not find Tombstone appealing nor interesting. Ironically, I feel Tombstone's existing efforts to preserve and display our country's western history are too rudimentary for the 21st century.

World's Largest Rose Tree/Tombstone, AZ

     The picture to the right is the World's Largest Rose Tree. It's in Tombstone in the back of a building that houses a museum of one of Tombstone's first families.
     The afternoon we visited, we were the youngest visitors by at least 10-15 years. By the way, there were only two other visitors at the museum during the hour we toured the site.

     I think for Tombstone to see more visitors they need to modernize their history. That sounds completely contradictory, but if businesses want more business they need to make it not only entertaining, but also easy for the next generation of visitors. But how?

Wyatt Earp/Tombstone, AZ

     If Wyatt Earp were to call me from his grave and ask, "Bill. This is Wyatt. I've noticed fewer people are visiting Tombstone. Got any ideas?"
     Here's what I'd offer in no particular order although my ultimate point would be.... You gotta update and think like the 25-50 year olds.
     1) Keep almost everything so not to upset the 50-85+ group still alive, able and interested.
     2) Create a Tombstone app.
     3) Make every historical marker I-T friendly so younger people can click n' listen versus read
     4) Think BIG. Create some holograms at the markers so younger visitors can not only hear, but actually see the lawmen, outlaws and whores.
     5) Create a variety of focus groups: 25-50 years old Americans.... An Asian group... An English group... And a European group.


     The Tombstone Epitaph article begins with this declarative: "Video games like "Red Dead Redemption" and TV shows like "Westworld" are among the most popular today. The allure of the wild west is alive and well." Tombstone business owners, city organizers and townspeople there's your answer.

Bill Robertson