The Town's Liveliest Dead
Big Nose Kate's Saloon stands as Tombstone's oldest continuously operating saloon, a testament to the town's refusal to let go of its wild past. Built in 1881 as the Grand Hotel, this establishment has served drinks through gunfights, mine disasters, and economic collapses - and many of its patrons from those tumultuous times have never stopped drinking. The saloon takes its name from Mary Katherine Horony-Cummings, better known as Big Nose Kate, Doc Holliday's fiery Hungarian lover. While Kate herself died in Prescott, her spirit seems drawn to this place that bears her name, joining a rowdy crowd of cowboys, miners, and soiled doves who treat death as just another inconvenience.
Blood, Bullets, and Bourbon
The Grand Hotel Era
Originally the Grand Hotel, this building housed Tombstone's elite and their secrets. The basement served a dual purpose - storage for liquor and bodies. During the silver boom, when men died faster than graves could be dug, corpses were stored in the cool basement awaiting burial. This morgue processed victims of mine accidents, gunfights, and disease, their traumatic deaths leaving permanent psychic scars.
The Swamper's Domain
A janitor known only as 'The Swamper' lived in the basement for decades, tending bar, cleaning, and reportedly talking to the ghosts. Found dead in 1910 under mysterious circumstances, his spirit never left his underground home. The Swamper remains the building's most active ghost, still maintaining his basement kingdom and occasionally attacking those he deems unworthy.
Gunfights and Grudges
At least seven documented deaths occurred within these walls during Tombstone's violent heyday. Cowboys settled scores over cards, miners fought over claims, and jealous lovers ended relationships permanently. Each violent death added another layer to the building's haunted atmosphere, creating a supernatural pressure cooker of unresolved conflicts.
The Saloon's Eternal Patrons
The Swamper
The basement-dwelling janitor remains the saloon's most aggressive spirit. He appears as a disheveled old man in overalls, sometimes solid enough to be mistaken for a living person. The Swamper has been known to push people down the stairs, throw bottles, and scratch those who venture into his domain uninvited. Staff leave offerings of whiskey to appease him.
The Cowboy
A young cowboy in full regalia haunts the main bar, eternally waiting for a drink that never comes. Witnesses describe him in a black hat and duster, spurs jangling as he walks. He's often seen playing cards with invisible companions, and bartenders report finding old coins on the bar after his appearances.
Big Nose Kate's Spirit
Though Kate died elsewhere, her spirit frequents the saloon bearing her name. She appears as a beautiful woman in 1880s finery, often near the piano or at the corner table where Doc Holliday reportedly sat. Some claim to smell her Hungarian perfume and hear her distinctive laugh. She seems protective of female staff and has been known to trip handsy male customers.
The Soiled Doves
Several prostitutes who worked the Grand Hotel still ply their ghostly trade. They appear in various states of undress, beckoning from the staircase or manifesting in mirrors. Male visitors report feeling invisible hands on their shoulders and whispered propositions in their ears. These spirits seem more playful than threatening, though they've been known to pick pockets.
Documented Phenomena
The Basement Morgue
The basement, once Tombstone's morgue, remains the epicenter of paranormal activity. Visitors report overwhelming feelings of dread, difficulty breathing, and the sensation of invisible hands grabbing them. EVP recordings capture voices begging for help, discussing injuries, and calling out names of long-dead residents. The temperature drops 20-30 degrees without explanation.
The Moving Mannequins
The saloon displays period mannequins that refuse to stay put. Staff arrive to find them in different positions, sometimes in entirely different rooms. Security footage shows the mannequins moving on their own, turning their heads to follow people, and occasionally walking short distances before freezing again.
The Ghost Photos
Big Nose Kate's produces more ghost photographs than any other Tombstone location. Tourists regularly capture apparitions, shadow figures, and faces in mirrors. The most common image is of The Swamper peering from basement windows that have been bricked up for decades.
Drinking with the Dead
Big Nose Kate's embraces its haunted reputation with daily ghost tours and paranormal investigations. The staff freely share their experiences and maintain a ghost log where patrons can record encounters. The basement morgue tours are not for the faint of heart - many visitors can't complete them due to the oppressive atmosphere. The saloon serves period cocktails with names like 'Swamper's Revenge' and 'Doc's Medicine,' and the gift shop sells everything from ghost hunting equipment to Ouija boards. Live music fills the air most nights, though sometimes the piano plays itself, and phantom voices join the singers. Whether you come for the history, the hauntings, or just a cold beer, Big Nose Kate's delivers an authentic Tombstone experience where the Wild West never really ended - it just died and kept on drinking.
