'Doc And Kate On The Road From Gillette to Globe

 May 26, 2024

   We have been having a lively debate about how do you get from Gillette to Globe in 1879?

   This is for a feature in the next issue of True West on new information from Bad Courtney about Doc Holliday in Prescott. 

   Everyone agrees that Doc and Kate came from Dodge City, Kansas to Prescott, Arizona via the Earp wagon train in the fall of 1879. The Earps almost immediately moved on to the new boomtown of Tombstone, while Doc and Kate remained in the mile-high-city.

   This is where it gets complicated and controversial. Kate ended up in the Pioneer's Home in Prescott late in life, and she told three different versions of her and Doc traveling to Gillette before splitting up, with her going to Globe and, as she claimed, Doc going to Tombstone.

A Tom Jonas Map of

Doc & Kate's Arizona Travels in 1879

   We now know that Kate was incorrect about Doc going on to Tombstone from Gillette, because he ends up back in Las Vegas, New Mexico after she says they split up.

   Also, it's not easy to go to Globe from Gillette (see her probable route, above). Of course, today you can go from Phoenix east to Apache Junction and then through the mountains to Superior and on to Globe, but Stuart Rosebrook's research shows that the main route to Globe at that time was to go south thru Phoenix to Maricopa Wells and then to Sacaton and then up to Globe from the south.

   Also, I was curious to see the approximate location of Gillette (which is long gone) on our trip to Prescott last Friday morning for our show at the Elks. The mining ghost town was located a short distance southwest of Rock Springs Station in New River. So, as we shot north on I-17 on Friday morning, and as we approached Rock Springs Cafe, I took a good look at those gullies and ravines off to the west, which are quite formidable and it makes you appreciate how rough those old birds were, being on some primitive wagon, or buckboard, traversing those rough mesas.

   There's much more to this crazy travelogue, but you'll see it when the magazine drops in your mailbox in mid-June.

Cave Creek Political Season

   Uno spotted a local election sign on our morning walk today.

'Tis The Season

   It's nice to know that at least one politician has really good taste in art!

The Three Stages of Life

1. Wanting stuff

2. Accumulating stuff

3. Getting rid of stuff

Guess Who Has Too Damn Much stuff?

"Want some? Please come take it!"

—Kathy Radina

"Every family needs that one unstable person who has no fear and is willing to go to war with whoever messes with their tribe."

—Old Vaquero Saying