Leadville, Colorado, was the last place Doc Holliday needed to be the summer of 1882—its climate was deadly for a man suffering from tuberculosis; even the promotional literature for the region said so. “Persons troubled with weak lungs or heart disease should give the new camp a wide berth,” advised the Tourist’s Guide to Leadville and the Carbonate Fields. “The rare atmosphere accelerates the action of both these organs and unless they are in perfect condition, serious results may fo

True West March/April 2025