Historical Event Series - Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park

The Building of Tombstone Courthouse

As Tombstone grew in population, so did its political power. In 1881 the Arizona Territorial Legislature approved a bill splitting off the southeastern section of the territory that was Pima County and establishing it as Cochise County. This would eliminate a long two-day ride to the county seat in Tucson and provide better overall government in an area that was developing rapidly.

With the new county of Cochise established, the county government would need a building to conduct business. In 1882 the present day courthouse in Tombstone was built at a cost of nearly $50,000. Designed by Frank Walker and constructed by A.J. Ritter, the building was designed in Victorian style and symbolized authority on the raw frontier. It provided offices for the county's sheriff, recorder, treasurer and board of supervisors, and included a well-built jail. The building was the center of judicial actions in the county and was used by a multitude of judges and attorneys. The Courthouse was used by Cochise County until 1929 when the county seat was relocated to Bisbee where it remains today.

After the last county office was moved from Tombstone to Bisbee in 1931, the courthouse remained predominately unoccupied until 1955 when the Tombstone Restoration Commission acquired it and transformed it into a historical museum. In 1959 the State of Arizona accepted the site and placed it in the State Park system for operation and management. The Tombstone Courthouse is presently operated and managed as a Historic State Park housing displays and thousands of artifacts that tell of Tombstone and Cochise County's colorful yesterdays.

The true historic events described below are provided by the Historic Research Specialists at Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park.