History
Built in 1880 by The Bufords
The Buford House, named after George Washington Buford, the original owner and builder of the adobe house that dates back to 1880. They were a prominent and influential family in Tombstone as George was a successful mining executive. So he built his house to be one of the finest in the early history of Tombstone. The house is two stories high, which was a rarity for early adobe homes in Tombstone.
The Buford family lived in the house from 1880 until they left Tombstone in 1888. Mrs Annie Buford gave birth to many children while occupying the house, unfortunately at least three of the children died at the Buford House at early ages from Diphtheria, Whooping Cough and other menacing diseases of the era.
George and Annie Buford
John standing at the grave marker for the Buford children, located at Tombstone’s City Cemetery. Their names are carved into three sides of the wood pillar.
Tragedy continues as George Buford dies a violent death
The family had moved to California and had fallen on hard times. Following is a newspaper account of his accident.
Aged George W. Buford met instantaneous death yesterday morning about 6 o'clock beneath the wheels of the Santa Fe freight car.
The accident occurred near Mateo Street on a switch running from the yards to Alameda Street. The deceased lived at 1521 Palmetto Street with his wife and four children and peddled eggs, butter, and butter milk, which he delivered to his customers in a small spring wagon. His barn is on the narrow alleyway through which the Santa Fe track runs. In order to reach Mateo street it was his practice to drive over the railroad track and then along the track for
seventy-five yards to the street. Yesterday morning he failed to notice an approaching train of three flat cars loaded with lumber, which was backing up from the switch yards.
The horse noticed the train and commenced to rear and plunge. Buford jumped from the wagon, caught the bridle and dragged the horse from the track just as the car
reached the spot. The old man was not able to jump out of the way himself, however, and the car knocked him to the ground. He was run over by the first wheel of the truck and then dragged fifty yards before the train was brought to a standstill. The body was horribly mangled, the head was severed from the trunk, one arm was cut off and one leg ground into hundreds of fragments and scattered along the track.
wedding photo of Petra Edmunds with groom Louis Lombardi whom she married in 1890. taken at the famous Fly’s Studio. This original Fly's photo hangs in the Buford House parlor.
The house has had many different owners over its long history. Sometimes the house was lived in as a private residence and many times it was run as a boarding house or bed and breakfast.
In the 1880's the upstairs was one large room divided into smaller rooms using canvas walls. George Daves was the most infamous boarder during the 1880's. His tragic story starts with his infatuation with a local girl name Cleopatra “Petra” Edmunds. He started courting her, but had to leave town for a little while to make enough money to ask for her hand in marriage. When he returned he was devastated to see her walking arm in arm through the town with another man. The next time he saw her out on the street alone he ran into the Buford house, got his gun and confronted her. He shot her four times, leaving her bleeding in the street. He committed suicide immediately after his dastardly deed, shooting himself in the head. Petra miraculously survived the assault (attended to by Dr Goodfellow who also treated the Earps and most gunshot victims of the times).
Petra lived on in the same house until she was nearly 90. She married Louis Lombardi on November 1, 1890. Tragically, Louis later died in a mine explosion. Interestingly, their son at one time owned the famous Crystal Palace after having won it gambling! Petra passed away in 1960 still living in her same house of 75 years, just across the street from the Buford house.
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Tombstone, Arizona 85638