TOMBSTONE, Ariz.-
The mayor of Tombstone is rustling up some controversy.
In an attempt to make the city look more like it did in its gun-fighting glory days, Mayor Andree DeJournett decided to cap the asphalt on a three-block stretch of a historic street with dirt and gravel.
"People don't come here to see the year 2000–they come here to see Tombstone," said DeJournett, a native of Flint, Mich., who has lived in Tombstone for four years. "It's all about preserving the landmark."
DeJournett's decision has created some bad blood among store owners and residents.
"It's a mess," said Maureen Jenkins, who has owned Bronco Trading for 15 years. "The oil and the dirt and the dust–we didn't have any of these problems when we had the asphalt."
Locals first began to complain after the first layers of gravel began causing more dust in their stores. Things went from bad to worse when, on March 30, the city sprayed a chemical on the street aimed to prevent dust.
While the chemical stopped the dust, it created a sticky, liquid substance that tourists trampled into the stores, Jenkins said.
She is asking the city to reimburse her for the $450 she paid to clean the carpets in her store.
Since the city put 2 to 3 inches of red, crushed gravel on the street, the issue has improved, but some remain upset about how the situation was handled.
Still, tourists seem to like the gravel. Mike Bartlett of Dallas said the dirt adds a touch of authenticity to the downtown. "The horse-drawn stagecoaches on asphalt just doesn't look the same," he said.
