16/08/2024
The Last Known Photograph of Wyatt Earp, 1929. Born in March 1848, he grew up with four brothers.Earp began his career in law enforcement in Missouri, where he was elected local constable in 1870. However, following the death of his pregnant wife, he left town. His journey took him to Kansas, and by 1878, he had become a notable lawman and gambler in Dodge City, Kansas, forging alliances with legendary figures like Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson.
In 1879, Wyatt and his brothers moved to the bustling town of Tombstone in the Arizona Territory, seeking fortune and opportunity. Wyatt worked as a gambler and saloon guard, while his brother Virgil became the town marshal. Tensions with a local outlaw gang led by Ike Clanton escalated, culminating in the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. The shoot-out, which lasted only about 30 seconds, involved Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp, along with Doc Holliday, against the Clanton gang. Three outlaws were killed, but the violence persisted.
Virgil was ambushed and wounded in December 1881, and Morgan was killed in March 1882. Seeking revenge, Wyatt and his allies pursued and killed several suspects. Facing murder charges, Wyatt fled to Colorado and then moved through various boomtowns before finally settling in California. There, he engaged in police work, gambling, mining, and real estate.
In his later years, Wyatt collaborated with Stuart N. Lake on a biography titled "Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal," published in 1931. This work cemented his status as a legendary figure of the American West, though many of his exploits were later found to be exaggerated. Earp's life and adventures have been immortalised in numerous books and films, including "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), and "Tombstone" (1993).
Wyatt Earp passed away in 1929, leaving behind a legacy that continues to captivate and inspire tales of the Old West.
