My Dream Home .... 1880's Style!

I'm sure most of you think I'm crazy, but my dream home would be one like this, built in the 1880's.  As I was driving around Tombstone, I noticed a For Sale sign and stopped just to see what the price was.  Who should drive up in front of me, but the Owner.  It's fate!!

She quickly offered to give me a tour, either before or after the people she was here to meet.  Apparently she and her husband purchase homes really cheap, make repairs and a few upgrades, then sell for a profit.  Since Tombstone is on the downhill slide, it's good for the City and their pocket book.  Surprisingly this 3 bedroom 2 bath 1800 sq ft beauty is priced at $155,000.

It had a brand new Lennox air conditioning unit, a new stove, even a tiny dishwasher to go with the beadboard walls and ceilings and a huge Arizona room across the back.  I was in love!!  The back yard is big with a shop building and even room on one side to park a motorhome if you got rid of the small car cover. The BIG downside was that it faced a too tall RV garage 18 inches from the left of this image, belonging to the house next door.  

There's one more for sale that's on the National Historical Building Registry, a beautiful adobe in town with lots of parking space.  It's a little more ... maybe $189,000.  I'm not sure however if you can upgrade the kitchen ... or anything ... in a registered home.  No one seemed to know about the foundations of either place, whether on piers, concrete or dirt.  Another interesting note ... everyone's property tax went up about 26% last year.  That's probably why there are 30 or more houses for sale and several foreclosures.

Now if THIS place came up for sale, I'd buy it in a flash.  It's amazing with a huge courtyard, big enough for three RV's, a beautiful old house surrounded by this fence.  It's also interesting to note that most houses have tall fences around the entire place.  I suppose that's to keep out the tourists, but it feels terribly isolating.

The last house I saw in Tombstone belonged to the Robertsons who came here in a covered wagon, bringing the furniture you see, with them.   It became a hotel and boarding house for many years, until the daughter Ethel Robertson, married Mr. Macias.  The story of the rose bush is fascinating, as Mrs. Macias planted a Lady Banksia rose in the back yard in 1885, that is still alive today.  Here's Mrs. Macias with Geronimo's son.  There are a lot of interesting photos of her from the 1880's and 1900's.

Now a museum on Fourth Street that you can tour for $5.00, it's worth a visit.  Just ask around as it's rather hard to find.  Hiding in a nondescript building that used to be headquarters for a mine, there are several doors, look for the one with the OPEN sign.

It was purchased by the Devere Family in 1916, who have kept it and the rose bush alive all these years. 

Dr. Goodfellow arrived in Tombstone when he was only 25 years old, performing autopsies on those who were killed.  Honestly, I'm not sure why an autopsy is necessary when the guy obviously was killed by a gunshot to the head, but whatever.  Maybe it was for anatomical purposes.  One of the books I purchased from Singing Wind was the life story of Dr. Goodfellow.  It's a sign!!

You wouldn't have any idea this was here unless you walked in their BIG back yard.  THIS is the rose bush.  Pretty massive, right?  The trunk is over 12 feet around, with the canopy being around 9,000 square feet.  Over the years, a massive pipe trellis has been placed to keep it up off the ground.  

In the spring, it is covered with tiny white flowers.  This cutting actually came from Scotland originally, and only requires pruning and water.  You can even buy rooted cuttings for $12.95.  I think I'm going to go back and pick one up today.  Further back in the yard, they have erected a scaffolding you can climb up to see the top ... but it's so tall, even that doesn't let you see much.  Maybe a drone with a GoPro!!

Still being on the hunt for the best bread pudding, after viewing the rose bush, I stopped in at the Longhorn Saloon (not NEAR as authentic as Big Nose Kates) to see what was on their menu.  No bread pudding in sight, but they did have Death By Chocolate.  I REALLY wished I had company, because this thing was HUGE!!  A big brownie, covered with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate sprinkles and a cherry  .....  all in a rather large SOUP bowl!!

I cannot lie ..... I ate the whole thing!!  I suffered later with a terrible stomach ache which lasted all night long.  No, it was not worth it, but it WAS mighty tasty!!

I have such a love for Tombstone and that era, that I'm going back again today to look at more places for sale.  I wish I had the nerve to just jump in with both feet, but in truth, I'm probably too conservative to give it a shot.  I need a LOT more information before I jump!!