O.K. Corral, Arizona
Encyclopedia
The O.K. Corral was originally a small horse
corral
located in the 19th century boomtown
city of Tombstone
in the Territory of Arizona
, an organized incorporated territory of the United States
. It is most famously associated with the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
" which is somewhat of a misnomer. According to American old west historians, the gunfight actually took place in a vacant lot next to Camillus Fly's photography studio, six doors down Fremont Street from an alleyway that cut through the block and served as an informal rear entrance to the corral. In this context, possibly a more appropriate name for the event would be "Gunfight near the O.K. Corral".
. The location known as the O.K. Corral is within the Tombstone Historic District
.
The corral's map coordinates are 31°42′48.5"N 110°4′8.7"W (31.71346, -110.069081).
The historical district
is a National Historic Landmark
and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
by the U.S. National Park Service
.. Its association with the legendary gunfight that happened on October 26th, 1881 attracts many to the city as popular tourist destination. The lot in which the gunfight actually occurred is also preserved, but has been walled off, and admission is charged. However, since much of this street fight occurred in Tombstone's Fremont Street (modern Highway 80), much of this site is also viewable without admission charge.
The town's focus on tourism has threatened the town's designation as a National Historic Landmark District, a designation it earned in 1961 as "one of the best preserved specimens of the rugged frontier
town of the 1870s and '80s." In 2004, the National Park Service
(NPS) declared the designation threatened, seeking to work with the community to develop an appropriate stewardship
program.
and its placement on the National Register. Its association with the gunfight also serves to provide a fixed location and point of reference.
It is a testament to the gunfight's impact on the American psyche that numerous dramatic, fictional, and documentary works have been produced about or referencing this event over the decades.
For more details on media relating to the gunfight, see Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
corral
Corral
Corral is a town, commune and sea port in Los Ríos Region, Chile. It is located south of Corral Bay. Corral is best known for the forts of Corral Bay, a system of defensive batteries and forts made to protect Valdivia during colonial times. Corral was the headquarters of the system...
located in the 19th century boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
city of Tombstone
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
in the Territory of Arizona
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, an organized incorporated territory of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is most famously associated with the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a roughly 30-second gunfight that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory, of the United States. Outlaw Cowboys Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, unharmed, but Ike's brother...
" which is somewhat of a misnomer. According to American old west historians, the gunfight actually took place in a vacant lot next to Camillus Fly's photography studio, six doors down Fremont Street from an alleyway that cut through the block and served as an informal rear entrance to the corral. In this context, possibly a more appropriate name for the event would be "Gunfight near the O.K. Corral".
Location
The corral's address is 326 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638, United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The location known as the O.K. Corral is within the Tombstone Historic District
Tombstone Historic District
Tombstone Historic District is a historic district in Tombstone, Arizona that is significant for its association with the struggle between lawlessness and civility in frontier towns of the wild west. Located within the historical district is the legendary O.K. Corral associated with the famous...
.
The corral's map coordinates are 31°42′48.5"N 110°4′8.7"W (31.71346, -110.069081).
Current status
Tombstone Historic District
Tombstone Historic District is a historic district in Tombstone, Arizona that is significant for its association with the struggle between lawlessness and civility in frontier towns of the wild west. Located within the historical district is the legendary O.K. Corral associated with the famous...
is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
by the U.S. National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
.. Its association with the legendary gunfight that happened on October 26th, 1881 attracts many to the city as popular tourist destination. The lot in which the gunfight actually occurred is also preserved, but has been walled off, and admission is charged. However, since much of this street fight occurred in Tombstone's Fremont Street (modern Highway 80), much of this site is also viewable without admission charge.
The town's focus on tourism has threatened the town's designation as a National Historic Landmark District, a designation it earned in 1961 as "one of the best preserved specimens of the rugged frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
town of the 1870s and '80s." In 2004, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
(NPS) declared the designation threatened, seeking to work with the community to develop an appropriate stewardship
Stewardship
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of resources. The concept of stewardship has been applied in diverse realms, including with respect to environment, economics, health, property, information, and religion, and is linked to the concept of sustainability...
program.
Historical significance
Although not the actual site of the famous gunfight, its association with the legendary gunfight likely contributed to the creation of the historic districtHistoric district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
and its placement on the National Register. Its association with the gunfight also serves to provide a fixed location and point of reference.
It is a testament to the gunfight's impact on the American psyche that numerous dramatic, fictional, and documentary works have been produced about or referencing this event over the decades.
For more details on media relating to the gunfight, see Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.