Edna Landin moved to Tombstone Arizona in 1949.  She adopted her new home with passion, determination and undying energy!

 

The Tombstone Court House built in 1882, was essentially abandoned when the county seat was relocated to Bisbee Arizona in 1929.  This coupled with the effects of the Great Depression, placed Tombstone on a path towards ghost town status.

 

Edna was determined that that was not going to happen.

At least not on her watch.

 

Edna was a passionate advocate for Tombstone and worked tirelessly for over 15 years to promote and preserve Tombstone’s history and historic buildings.  She served as president of the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, president of the Tombstone Restoration Commission, and member of the Tombstone City Hall. To fulfill these goals, she effectively lobbied state and national legislatures, conducted fund-raising campaigns, wrote numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and spoke throughout Arizona.  She developed strong relationships with state and federal politicians.

 

Edna single-handedly conducted a successful fund-raising campaign to restore the Tombstone Courthouse.  Without professional assistance, from 1955 to l957 she wrote over 12,000 letter and raised $435,000 from donors in 34 states

including England and Sweden.

 

Without Edna Landin’s advocacy and leadership it is doubtful if the Tombstone and it’s courthouse would have restored and become a state park.

 

Edna was very creative and created and sold $500 memberships for a Wyatt Earp Club, selling memorial windows in the Tombstone Courthouse.  She created a paid lifetime membership for the Tombstone Restoration Commission, selling a square foot of Tombstone real estate

with a title deed and installing public Tombstone Marshals.

Edna was a world-wide traveler so she solicited Tombstone Marshals wherever she went,  President Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, Carl Hayden to name a few.  Eventually Landin proposed that the Courthouse and grounds become a state park placed under the Arizona State Parks Board in recognition of the site’s state and national significance.  One year later, the agreement was finalized.

 

Edna’s final project was to establish an annual outdoor musical pageant to celebrate Arizona and Tombstone’s history.  Shortly after beginning this project Edna Landin died from leukemia.  A month before her death, Tombstone citizens celebrated Edna Landin Day.  Barry Goldwater was the keynote speaker and Landin City Park was officially dedicated.

 

Edna always said “If you restore Tombstone, you will be a town to go to.  If you let Tombstone go modern, you will be a town to go through.”

 

“There is not a town in America that symbolizes the west more than our town of Tombstone.  It is part of our great American heritage and we owe to prosperty to retain it’s character and retain our landmarks as authentic “Show Case of the West”.”  Landin’s vision, dedication and efficacy embody the Spirit of Arizona.

 

Thanks to Edna Landin, Tombstone is proud to be the

“Town To Tough To Die.”