When I’m at my computer thumping out drivel to be consumed by perhaps dozens of people, I often watch YouTube. I watch a lot of sports content, as well as entertainment nostalgia and historical stuff. Information relating to the fabled Route 66 falls into that latter category. There are probably hundreds of old tourist sites lying in ruins when interstate highways made parts of Route 66 obsolete. Two Gun Arizona is one of them.
Is there evidence to support the legend of Two Guns?
One of the legends of Two Guns involves the so-called death cave in the area. The story goes that 42 Apache were killed by Navajos who bottled them up in a cave and started a fire to smoke them out.
The alleged massacre was supposedly the result of a murderous 1876 raid by the Apache on the Navajos.
While that’s a graphic story, it is also disputed.
Did Billy the Kid and his gang really hide out there?
Once again, that’s the legend. Billy was supposed to have hidden out in some ruins in the area in the winter of 1879–80. Once again, I don’t know if I should believe that or not. Back east, it seems like George Washinton slept around. Maybe I should rephrase that. It seems that George slept in a lot of different locations. He apparently did that to promote future tourism.
Well, maybe Billy hid out at different places to help future tourism in the Old West.
The verifiable history of Two Guns is colorful to say the least
In 1922 Earle and Louise Cundiff purchased 320 acres from the area’s original settler, Ed Randolph. They proceeded to build a store, restaurant, and gasoline pumps.
In 1925 things began to get really interesting. Harry E. Miller leased some property from the Condiffs and started construction. Miller also started calling himself, “Chief Crazy Thunder,” which was disturbing since he wasn’t a pro wrestler.
An interesting building agenda
Chief Crazy Thunder, wanted to cash in on tourism and his projects included a restaurant and Indian gift shop, as well as a zoo constructed out of brick, mortar, and chicken wire.
Crazy Thunder/Miller also set up some other activities for tourists, including a tour of the “death cave.”
A lawyer would have helped
In 1926 Miller/Crazy Thunder had a lease dispute with Cundiff. The dispute resulted in Miller/ Crazy Thunder shooting the unarmed Earle Cundiff to death. Somehow Miller/Crazy was acquitted. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Chief after that.
Miller/Crazy Thunder was subsequently mauled by the mountain lions in his zoo and also bitten by the poisonous Gila monster. I wonder if he closed his zoo by tearing down the chicken wire?
The town’s last gasp
Louise Cundiff, Earle’s widow, remarried and tried to keep the town going, but with the opening of the interstate, the dye was cast. The service station burned in 1971. And that was pretty much it.
I will say Two Guns was more of the more interesting places I’ve read about. Look for more stuff about stops along the old Route 66.
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