Open carry in Tombstone AZ

[TheArchDuke]

ArmedBear- I've been to Yuma a few times. And regarding the "crap-hole" comment, don't forget that San Diego doesn't border with Yuma, you have to cross the imperial valley first. *shudder*.

The most interesting thing in imperial county is that rusty water tower that has a line 15 feet up labeled "Sea level".

 

[largecaliber]

Listen up old fluff

First off old Fluff Tombstone didn't back off because of a lawsuit, they were taken all the way to court where the judge ordered the mayor to drop their old Earp ordinance or face jail time himself. There were three men who fought Tombstone over that law, two of whom have passed away. The actual one who started this fight was pushed by the city and refused to be pushed any further. Once the fight began in 1991 they were harassed by the city, had property destroyed, was shot at and one had to shoot and wound a man in self defense while on his own property. The fight finally came to an end in February of 1994. How do I know this? I am the last remaning man alive to have been in that fight and the one who started it and the one who had to shoot and wound that man. Tombstone citizens all hollered, "ther would be blood running in the streets" Well, that never took place did it? Funny how the people who were shooting at us were against the carrying of guns, ironic huh! Carry in Tombstone! Heck yes carry in Tombstone. Three of us fought for that right and if old fluff don't like it then I say read your constitution and be an American. My name is Terry McGahey and I now live in Cody, Wyoming.

 

[Harve Curry]

Are you sure Terry? I thought it was Ike Clanton III that got that law repealed

So tell us about the shoot out. You must be the last one in history to have been in a Tombstone shootout (with real bullets) since the Earps and the Clantons.

 

[loneviking]

I'm having fun reading this thread! I live just a few miles from Virginia City, another famous Old West town. Lots of open carry of the ol' sixguns up there, heck, come up for the Labor Day weekend with all of the Civil War re-enactors in town if you want to see guns everywhere.

And Yuma? What's wrong with Yuma? It's one of my favorite places in winter. Warm, OC is fine, Los Algodones is just across La Frontera and is a friendly little place. Lots of desert to 4wheel around in and explore---what's not to like? And yes, I like Quartsite as well which has a year round population of some real, old time characters. Sort of like some of the towns here in Nevada!

 

[Old Fuff]

I feel sorry for ya' Terry. It gets cold up there in Cody, and it snows all the time. Hope you're happy though.

Oh, and thanks Harve.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Here's a scan of the newspaper story referred to in post #52

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=886&dat=19940110&id=wi0OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pH0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3628,1409359

 

[threefeathers]

I posted on SASS that I carried my Colt S A openly, loaded with the real thing at the Western Writers Conference when we were discussing the death of Ike Clanton. I had my Colt, Mas had his Glock, and at least two of the other writers and reseachers had 1911's. My Colt was once owned by Forrest Tucker so it was the 'Belle' of the Ball.

 

[largecaliber]

Oh,Im sure!

Hello Harv. Yes I am more than sure and still have the court docs. to prove it. How it started was at the time I was working as a day wage cowboy and from time to time I would pass through town while on my way into the desert to gather cows or sometimes just to be alone. As I did so the Tombstone Marshal (Ed at that time) and or his deputies would pull me over on my horse just as though I were driving my pickup truck and harass me over wearing my sidearm by threatening me with arrest and or gun confiscation while also citing the old Earp ordinance. I grew tired of this illegal treatment and decided to fight back. During this fight we were harassed by the city and a few people took it so far as to come down to the place we rented and tore up our horse corrals, tack rooms and shot at our houses. Once while driving home down past the new cemetary someone shot at my truck near the power sub station off of the dirt road heading up to the State of Main Mine. One of the others involved with me lived on the same place which was called the old guthrie place at that time. On one morning I went to feed my horses and I found one of them had her head sliced with a razor knife which really finished it for me. We waited in the wash for several nights and one night they showed up, I hollered at them and as they turned to run one began to reach for a sidearm and I shot him in the butt with a shotgun. His two buddies drug him off into the bushes and later at the circle K in town I was told that they packed him in ice and wraped him in towels. Two friends of mine saw all the bllod in the store that night and the only thing they could figure was that they took him to Mexico because I was never approached about it. After that it all came to an end until we beat tombstone in court with the backing of the NRA in February of 1994. If anyone wishes to challenge this story then I say look up the archives in the old Tombstone Tumbelweed or the Sierra Vista Hearold. Also if you live in Tombstone ask your now Mayor Dusty who is a friend of mine. Yes old Fuff I do like it here in Cody and you might be surprised to know that this area is known as the bananna belt. We don't get the snow one might think.

 

[Harve Curry]

I lived about 20 miles north of Tucson at the time that was going on. I remember the Earp no carry law being challenged and was glad it was defeated. NRA got all the press as I recall. Congrats to you for sticking to your guns.
I've been there a few times before and since the law was defeated.
I found it a inconvenient to carry if you wanted to go in all the places, also rubbing elbows with to many crowds shoulder to shoulder while carrying bugged me. I was in the TOMBSTONE movie and recall the town was offered alot of money and remodeling the town, ( including all new undergrouond electrical) by the Tombstone movie people if they would let them film there. It would have been restored back to 1880's look. Town council said no. Is that all true?

 

[largecaliber]

Not sure

Hello again Harv. You were in the movie Tombstone? I was too, I was the fellow playing cards who Billy Bob Thornton had threatened to Blow up the wildcats ***. You know, the guy in the purple shirt who backed away from the table. As far as I can remember there was an offer to Tombstone and yes they did turn it down. Why I'll never know except, in my opinion the mayor at that time whose name was Alex thought that he was the king of Tombstone. He even made the statement once in the Sierra Vista Herold and Tumbleweed that he didn't know what the state law was pertaining to the carry of weapons and that he did not care. Also, the two funny boys who owned the Tumbleweed at that time wrote an article stating that they had talked to the county attorney and was told that Tombstone could put in place a heavier restriction on guns but not less. I called the county attorney and he said it wasn't so and he made them retract that statement. We delt with nothing but arrogance and lies from the city and the newspaper that whole time during 1991-94.

 

[Superlite27]

Wow. I've never thought of visiting AZ. After reading this thread, It has given me a deep realization that America is still alive! I'm gonna have to come down there and see what the fightin's all about.

It's going to be hard to convince me that AZ is any nicer than the great state of Missouri, but I'll give it a chance.

Oh, and I will be carrying.

It's good to know there's still people willing to fight for what they believe in.

 

[largecaliber]

Harve

Hey Harve, I thought I would also let you know that as far as I know Terry Clanton didn't live in Tombstone during that time period. I believe that he came right after the fight had been settled. Also, I have nothing to hide and I have written the whole story as it actually happened. I am not a writer by any sense of the word but if your interested cantact me at [email protected] and I'll send it to you via email. Before coming up here to Cody I lived in Deming New Mexico for a short time. Where are you at? Terry.

 

[largecaliber]

Hi Superlite. Terry here. There is no more fighting going on in Tombstone anymore. If you haven't been there its a neat place to visit. Have fun.

 

[Harve Curry]

Deming is 125 miles south. I'm 40 miles west of Truth or Consequenses. I saw Terry Clanton on the movie set Mescal sometime in July 1993. I did horseback riding scenes and was the waitor serving Curly Bill and the gang in the front row of the Birdcage Theater. My name didn't make it to the credits. It was a good job and paid well.

 

[largecaliber]

Don't feel sorry for me

Hey old Fuff. No need to feel sorry for me up here in Cody. The area is really pretty and we are only 50 miles from Yellowstone Park. This area of Wyoming is called the Bananna Belt, the mountains that surround the area mostly protect us from the large amounts of snow and frigid winters. Our winters here usually only range from after Christmas until march and the normal snow fall is only an inch to four inches. It can snow more than that but that's the normal. And if you all think Arizona's gun laws are good you should come and try Wyoming's. The gun laws here are less restrictive than Arizona which is one of the reasons I live here. Take care Old Fuff. Terry.

 

[Lou McGopher]

I live in Arizona too. Maybe you never gone to Benson either.

Blew warm wind through your hair?

 

[scythefwd]

Thearchduke,
I was stationed in AZ for about 5 years. The only weird looks I got were from people carrying semi-autos (I had a revolver). The only "harassment" I got from cops was them asking what brand it was, how did it shoot, and could they see it. They did ask that I unload it before I handed it over, but it was all cordial. You see people OC frequently in the smaller towns like Sierra Vista, Tombstone, Benson, etc.. down there in the southern part of the state. Now in Tucson or Phoenix, OC might cause a couple of odd looks.

 

[jpwilly]

I use to OC and for the last two years CWP here in AZ. My last trip to Tombstone had my CWP and was packing heat. Wanted to eat lunch at a famous bar so I went next door and had them lock it up (no firearms in bars). Went back to get it when finished. No problems at all! Also went on a horse ride through town. I didn't know it at the time but your not suppost to run the horses. I made mine get and got yelled at! Oh well my brother got a good picture of me running that horse through Tombstone AZ!

 

[redrock]

LargeCaliber I have spent a good deal of time down in Az. over the years. But it is always nice to get back home to the "Cowboy State" Ole Wyoming. I am glad you like it here.

 

[largecaliber]

Thanks Redrock. The people are great, the country is great and the laws are not intrusive. Probably other than Alaska, Wyoming is one of the most free states in the union and being the least populated suites me well.