‘Every tombstone needs an epitaph’

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. — “Every tombstone needs an epitaph.”

At least, as history recalls, according to John Clum, the first mayor of the “Town Too Tough Die” and who in 1880 founded this famous newspaper. Today, the newspaper is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the Grand Canyon State.

In 1881, the newspaper reported on the now-infamous “Shootout at the OK Corral” and has since been transformed into a journal of western history. While no longer a daily newspaper covering the city, its pages are filled with articles about western history, from the OK Corral gunfight to Clum himself to the working women who made Tombstone the bawdy town it was during the 19th century.

Perhaps, what’s most compelling about the Epitaph today is its office. It’s not a working newsroom, but rather a museum dedicated to telling the story about how newspapers went to press.

The museum’s exhibits include a vintage type case, information about how images were inserted into issues during the 1890s and an original Epitaph printing press.

There are also original copies of 19th century editions on display and reprints of historic editions are available for purchase in the gift shop. Of note, the newspaper still produces a local edition with the help of journalism students from the University of Arizona.