Tombstone in Cochise County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Million Dollar Stope
At 1:00 p.m. on April 21st, 1907, the "Million Dollar Stope" was created when the Good Enough Stope caved in dropping a horse and wagon 75' into a gaping hole. The driver had climbed down to see why his horse had stumbled only to find himself standing on the edge of a gaping aperture with his horse and wagon far below. The stope was estimated to be 300’L x 200’W x 100'H and only 1 to 2 feet from the surface in places. Over a million dollars in ore had been taken from the Good Enough in the 1880s. The horse survived and was led out through an underground passage. The "Million Dollar Stope" was a major tourist attraction for years. It was filled in the 1980s due to instability. Other collapses have occurred over the years.
Erected 2005 by Tombstone Restoration Commission. (Marker Number 37.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical date for this entry is April 21, 1907.
Location. 31° 42.687′ N, 110° 3.978′ W. Marker is in Tombstone, Arizona, in Cochise County. Marker is on Toughnut Street east of 5th Street, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located on the south side of the street, next to a metal fence surrounding the "Million Dollar Stope". Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 435 E Toughnut St, Tombstone AZ 85638, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Mines of Tombstone (a few steps from this marker); Tombstone Engine Co. No. 1 (within shouting distance of this marker); City Marshall Virgil Earp (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Owl Cafe and Tourist Hotel (about 300 feet away); The Oriental Saloon (about 400 feet away); Curly Bill Brocius Killed Marshal Fred White Here (about 400 feet away); Bird Cage Theatre (about 400 feet away); The Grand Hotel (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tombstone.
Regarding Million Dollar Stope. A stope is a series of steps or layers that is excavated in a mine to follow ore deposits.
Also see . . .
1. Good Enough Mine. Roadside America website entry. Excerpt:
Ed Schieffelin had a dry sense of humor. When he filed his first mining claim in 1877 he named it "Tombstone," because he'd been told that his tombstone was all that he would find in the parched, Apache-ruled hills of southeast Arizona. A year later, when he filed his second claim, he named it "Good Enough" because the silver ore was so rich that it was good enough to satisfy him.(Submitted on October 10, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Beginners Guide to Stope Mining. An Underground Miner website entry:
Excerpt:
In stoping, shafts are dug vertically until the ore is reached. Then, based on carefully preplanned designs, large horizontal tunnels are created.(Submitted on April 22, 2023.)
Miners work from this area, the stope, to extract the desired ore.
A mine typically has multiple levels of stopes accessible from the same vertical shaft.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 698 times since then and 39 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week April 23, 2023. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on April 22, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on October 10, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 5. submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.