One of the forgotten parts of Tombstone—shown briefly in the movie Tombstone—was Chinatown. It was also called Hoptown, a slang term indicating one could get opium there.
China Mary (photo) allegedly ran Chinatown, including the opium dens that were frequented by men of all nationalities and races. The possession and use of opium was illegal, but for the most part, law enforcement did little about it. And when someone was arrested, it was considered a minor offense—a judge fined a C

True West May/June 2025
In This Issue:
Features
- Historic Hotels of the American West
- A Journey Through Wyoming’s Outlaw History
- A Journey Through Washington’s Wild Frontier
- Blazing The Oregon Trail
- Journey Through Time
- Did Brigham Young Order a Massacre?
- Mountain Meadows Scapegoat John D. Lee VS. A Firing Squad
- Mormons in the Movies
- An Indigenous Consultant Ensures Accuracy
- The Battle Axe And A Raw Deal
- Showdown: Bridger VS. Brigham
- The Mountain Man and the Mormon Moses
- The Ghosts of Mountain Meadows
- The War Before the War
- Mountain Meadows