Location: |
Tombstone.
Interstate 10 exit at Benson onto Arizona 80. Follow Arizona 80 southeast to Tombstone. The mine entrance is at Fifth and Toughnut streets. |
Open: |
All year daily 10-17, tours hourly on the hour. [2008] |
Fee: |
Adults USD 15, Children (6-12) USD 8, Children (0-5) free, Seniors USD 12. [2008] |
Classification: | Silver Mine |
Light: | Incandescent |
Dimension: | T=18 °C. |
Guided tours: | L=180 m, VR=30 m, D=60 min. |
Photography: | |
Accessibility: | |
Bibliography: | |
Address: | Good Enough Mine, Tombstone, AZ, Tel: +1-1-520-255-5553. |
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info. |
1879 | mine opened. |
1880s | mining boom at Tombstone. |
1903 | mine closed. |
2000 | closed mine acquired by Shirley and Andree Dejournett and renovated. |
MAY-2007 | opened to the public. |
The silver veins are embedded into limestone. As limestone is karstified, there are natural openings with speleothems, especially bulbous calcites, which are called cave popcorn. The ore itself has a black colour, but also contains numerous minerals like the blueish chrysocol.
The name Good Enough Mine is understatement: this was one of the rich silver mines which lead to the founding of the city Tombstone. Most people know this town from various Western movies, it is the place where Wyatt Earp lived and had the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Tombstone was a rough mining town, with bar brawls and bawdy dance hall girls.
In the late 1870s several silver mines were opened in the area of Tombstone. Probably the most important, at least one of the first, was Good Enough Mine. The wealth of the silver veins which were mined in the limestone hills was the basis of all development. But the mining continued only for 25 years. Around 1903 declining prices, exhaused deposits and technical promblem, especially flooded shafts, brought an end to mining. It was not lucrative any more and the mines closed.
The tour shows a small part of the enormous mine, and explains the daily life of the miners 100 years ago. There were many remains found when the mine was developed. They tell about hard working days with 10 hour shifts and poor lighting with candles. Later carbide lamps were introduced, which was a big improvement.