Tombstone Arizona - Toughnut Silver Mine Tour

Toughnut Mine Tour
Tombstone, Arizona

Howdy ya'll...
Yes... that's me (Terry Ike Clanton) in 1979, getting ready to take the Toughnut Mine Tour in Tombstone. The old Toughnut Mine Tour sign is in the background. As I remember, I was really nervous about the time this photo was taken, the talk was out in town that this silver mine had already caved-in once, and it was un-safe to go in!

O'well, the tour was still open for business and I was a crazy kid, so despite the warnings, myself and a few other thrill seekers took the tour anyway!

It was an awesome tour, I wish it were open today, because it really was a highlight of my early years visiting Tombstone. But the towns people were right, it wasn't long before the tour was closed down because it was found to be un-safe.

Come along now...

Put your hard hat on, turn your light and battery pack on, and let's climb down this steep staircase into the Toughnut Silver Mine. This shaft entrance (now capped off) is located just south of Toughnut Street, at the south end of Fifth Street.

The man on the right (holding the light) is our tour guide, explaining to the group that the black veins in the walls is the actual silver. The miners would follow these black veins where ever they went.

To say the least, it didn't look to sturdy in some places down here!

Yes there were supports, but not everywhere!

Fellow tour guests look on in amazement!

It was wild, tunnels everywhere!

This is a view of the cave-in looking from inside the mine out! Up and to the left is the earths surface.
From what people told me later, this cave-in plus insurance problems is what closed this mine tour.

2002 - The Toughnut Mine entrance as it looks today.

This is an original 1880's un-issued stock certificate from Tombstone Consolidated Gold & Silver Mining Company.

Where would ya like to head next pard?

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