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Tombstone & Dodge City ..... really?


Widder, SASS #59054

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Just curious, but how did Tombstone and Dodge City get their respective names.

 

Was it because of their reputations of gun play?

 

Tombstone being that once you go there, your resting place is ready and waiting for you.

 

Dodge City because you had to 'dodge' lead particles flying in the air.

 

 

Just wondering!

 

 

..........Widder

 

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Tombstone was founded by Ed Schieffelin. To make a long story short, he was a prospector that wanted to find gold and silver. He went out on his own and was told "all you're goin' to find out there is your Tombstone." And he did! Thus the name.

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The important thing to remember about Dodge was not necessarily that he was a Civil War General, but a big time railroad man before, during, and after the late unpleasantness.

General Dodge was one of the prime shakers and movers of the Union Pacific Railroad. For more on him, read "Hell On Wheels", a new book about the history of the transcontinental railroad and the towns that followed the end-of-track.

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I have studied Dodge for a number of years. Pretty interesting feller.

 

One more tidbit about General Dodge, he was one of the primary figures who helped start what would become the 1st Alabama Cavalry, US during the Civil War.

 

The First Alabama was a predominantly white regiment made up of southerners fighting for the Union. I say predominantly because we have historical evidence that shows that blacks also served in the ranks. It was an integrated unit almost 100 years before the Army later tried it again.

 

The First Alabama originally signed up for a one year term. About the time he wanted to start recruiting for a Second Alabama Cavalry regiment, he had to refill the First with people signed up on three year enlistments.

 

A historical side note... 21 Men from the 1st Alabama were hand selected to serve as General W T Sherman's person escort from the time he left Atlanta through the end of the war.

 

For more info on the First Alabama, you can visit http://1stalabamacavalryusv.com

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Ed Schieffelin was a scout for the U.S. Army working out of Camp Huachuca, searching for Apache Indians , in his off tim he would search for gold and silver, like others said he was told going into Indian territory he would find only his Tombstone, when he discovered silver he thought it would be the perfect irony to name his 1st. claim Tombstone. With $.30 in his pocket he went into partnership and eventually sold out for 1 million dollars, spending the rest of his life searching for his next big strike. Estimates say that in its heyday mines in Tombstone took out between $40 million USD $85 million (about $1.02 billion to $2.17 billion today).

Rafe

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The first two mining claims that Ed Schieffelin filed were for the Tombstone and Graveyard mines. They were near the mesa where the town now sits and was originally called Goose Flats.

However, as the town began to spring up it quickly became known as Tombstone

 

~:Wylie:~

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