Wyatt & Doc Visit the Old Pueblo
- or -
Oh Well, Stilwell
Animosities remained high after the Gunfight at the OK Corral. The Earp Posse continued to eliminate members of the Clanton Gang, but Morgan Earp received the same fate in kind. On March 20, 1882, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and other allies rode the train through Tucson - passing through on their way to the Earp’s parent’s home in California, accompanying both Morgan’s body and Virgil Earp who had been wounded in an ambush by unknown assailants.
During the train stop on that March night in 1882, right outside the Tucson Train Station, Wyatt, Doc, and friends caught up with their enemy Frank Stilwell, a Clanton gang member. They gunned him down along the train tracks.
And so it goes.
The first stage of this cache is located at the Tucson Train Station where the aforementioned events occurred. This microcache provides a log to sign. The second stage is currently on hiatus, so this multicache has been converted to a standard 1 stage micro.
Near the microcache is a life-sized copper statue of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday showing them preparing for the continuation of the vengeance.
Really pretty cool statue.
The statue can be found at 32.13.424/110.58.035 (The microcache couldn’t be placed nearer to the sculpture due to its proximity to the railroad tracks). It is possible to view the statue 24/7, although, depending upon the hours you do this cache, you may have to poke around a bit to find a route to it.
The final cache that is currently not in play is located near to where ol' Frank Stilwell was gunned down, as one legend tells it. Although the final cache is only about ¼ mile away, the trek there may not be so straightforward. The cache container is a circular tin (~6 in diameter x 2.5 in height).
The inspiration for this cache was a TV show I watched highlighting the statue as a part of the train depot renovation - televised on local access! Overall, the Tucson Train Station has undergone extensive renovation to restore the main building to its 1941 appearance. In addition to Amtrak, it appears that the Transportation Museum, an art gallery/shop, and the new restaurant and market, Maynards, also occupy the space. The restaurant is outstanding for both lunch and dinner. Hopefully, this thoughtful renovation will be one successful facet of the long-term revitalization of the downtown Tucson area.