Tombstone Arizona -- History

• 1877 - district discovered by Ed Scheffelin
• 1878 - mining begins
• 1881 - water encoutered at 520 feet in the Sulphuret Mine
• 1882 - biggest year of production
• 1886 - Grand Central Mine pumps burn
• 1901 - Boom shaft begun
• 1903 - railroad reaches Tombstone
• 1906 - Boom shaft at 1000 feet
• 1909 - Boom shaft pumps fail
• 1911 - Boom shaft pumps shut down for good

In 1906, the Boom shaft pumps were moving 3000 gallons per minute. The price of silver had fallen to 0.67 per ounce (from 1.29 per ounce during the bonanza years.

While many people blame the water for the end of mining at Tombstone, the falling price of silver was just as important if not more so. Just as important is the inability to find additional large high grade ore bodies at depth.