The shootout at the O.K. Corral, located in Tombstone, Arizona, is one of the most notable gunfights of the Old West. The incident was so popular, in fact, that there are several classic movies about it, including Law and Order, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and Tombstone, just to name a few. However, these depictions of the shootout are only loosely based on the bloody events that transpired on that fateful day.
One of the major inconsistencies is the location of the shootout, which didn’t happen at the O.K. Corral. Instead, it took place at a vacant lot behind Fly’s Photography Studio, which was near the O.K. Corral. Furthermore, the reason behind the shootout wasn’t as simple as a dispute between lawmen and cattle rustlers. It was the culmination of the tensions that had been building between the two groups involvng personal and political agendas.
The 30-second gunfight
The shootout at the O.K. Corral happened on Oct. 26, 1881. On one side were the lawmen — the three Earp brothers, Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan, and their friend Doc Holliday. On the other side were the cattle rustlers known as the Clanton-McLaury gang which included two pairs of brothers, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury, as well as Billy Claiborne.
What actually happened is still hotly debated to this day, but most accounts report that the first shot was fired by Virgil and directed at Billy Clanton, who was shot in the chest. Overall, more than 30 shots were fired. Holliday shot Tom in the chest. Billy Clanton and Frank were able to shoot back before they went down. Ike and Claiborne ran away from the scene. In the end, the shootout, which lasted less than a minute, left Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers dead, while Virgil, Morgan, and Holliday were wounded.
What triggered the shootout?
It is widely believed that the lawmen were the heroes in this scenario, and it’s depicted as such in movies about the event. Author Mary Doria Russell, who wrote a book about the shootout titled Epitaph, extensively researched the event and the individuals involved. She scoured official records and journals on a mission to separate fact from fiction.
During her research, she discovered that the catalyst for the gunfight was a foiled conspiracy between two people — Wyatt Earp and Ike Clanton. Ike approached Wyatt with a plan that would be beneficial to both of them. The cattle rustler said he would turn in three men responsible for a stagecoach robbery so that he could get the reward money for their capture. In turn, Wyatt’s reputation in the community would be boosted due to the arrests. Before Ike could turn them in, however, the three robbers turned up dead.
With no men to turn in, there was no deal with Wyatt, and Ike became worried that Wyatt would reveal their deal. If that happened, it would ruin his reputation in the cattle rustling community, and he could be labeled a “rat.” Tensions were high when Ike confronted Wyatt in the hours leading up to the shootout. Words were exchanged, threats were made, and the tensions between the two groups increased until the shootout happened.
The O.K. Corral today
Today, many tourists go to Tombstone, Arizona, to visit the site where the shootout happened. O.K. Corral stages a reenactment of the shootout, and there’s also other places of interest including Holliday’s room in a boarding house, the O.K. Corral stables, and a museum.
