I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
Thomas Jefferson
One last stop in Arizona that has been highly recommended by a lot of fellow travelers is Bisbee. The bonus to this idea is that we have to drive through Tombstone. Now, Tombstone was not on our radar this trip as we were there 20 years ago however, rumor has it that there is a brewery there. (Of course, I knew that as we drank their beer during the Superbowl party!)
Legendary Tombstone Arizona; where history really happened! Known as the town too tough to die. We were on the same streets that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday walked over 140 years ago. We watched the actors dressed in period clothes interact with each other on the street. Unfortunately, we missed the gunfight show at the O.K. Corral and decided not to take the historic stagecoach ride through the town.
The beer at the Tombstone Brewing Company, was really good. However, I have to admit I really wanted the metal sign for Steve’s garage but at 40$ each, a picture would have to do. After a few beers we headed down Main Street to Big Nose Kate’s Saloon; where they still wear period costumes from the 1800’s. Gosh, it must be hard to breathe in those corsets! We were here 20 years ago with the kids. We actually have a picture of me sitting on a piano wearing a red boa. Believe it or not they still have the same piano and the painting of a naked lady that was there 20 years ago. Difference is I am not getting on top of this piano to repeat that photo op!
We have driven through a lot of old towns on this trip that have been abandoned. It was so nice to see that they have kept the old historic town alive. Just like the painting and piano, there has not been much change to the town in over 20 years, heck 100 years, but hey that is its’ charm. It is definitely a town that refuses to die.
Old Bisbee, the mile high city, is set amid the Mule Mountains. It is an old copper mining town, known for its large staircases that were originally ladders in the 1800’s and were used to get the miners from the bottom of the mine to their homes in the mountains. We only took one staircase of 186 steps; as it was on the way to the Old Bisbee Brewing Company 😊.
We did check out some of their Artisans shops, and tried a few local treats at the Bisbee Coffee Company café. We found the old town had a European feel as the houses were nestled in the rocks and the downtown streets were very twisty, curvy, full of turns and extremely narrow. They actually had a few cobblestone streets. Our originally plan was to stay the night here, but I really wanted to head to New Mexico so, off we went on the historic route 80 to Rodeo, New Mexico.