Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation Museum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park plans HVAC upgrade; museum details hours and history
Summary
Curtis Leslie, park manager, described the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park’s history, visitor hours and an ongoing project to add HVAC and electrical upgrades to the 1882 courthouse building.
Curtis Leslie, park manager for the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, told KWCD’s First Watch that the park — Arizona’s second state park — is undergoing electrical work and installation of HVAC to make the 1882 courthouse building more comfortable for visitors.
The courthouse, Leslie said, was built beginning in August 1882 and opened in January 1883 and served as Cochise County’s courthouse until 1931 after the county seat moved to Bisbee. “Our courthouse began being built in August 1882,” Leslie said, and the building has original courtroom fittings including the judge’s bench and a prisoners’ dock.
Leslie described the park’s visitor hours and admission: summer hours run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (June 1 through September); fees are $10 for ages 14 and older, $5 for ages 7–13, and free for children under 7. Winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the park is closed only on Christmas Day.
On infrastructure, Leslie said the museum currently has no air conditioning and can exceed 90 degrees in summer. “We do have a grant and we’re adding HVAC and air conditioning now,” he said, adding that the work is complex because the team must avoid damaging historic fabric; Leslie said the upgrades will not be finished this year but the park expects the systems to be operational by next summer.
The museum’s collections include courtroom fixtures, a replica gallows, mining displays that highlight Tombstone’s silver boom and artifacts tied to local figures such as Ed Shefflin. Leslie encouraged visitors to consult Arizona State Parks’ website for more information and provided the park phone number for direct inquiries.
