Bird Cage Theatre
Opened December 26, 1881, the Bird Cage was a combined theatre, saloon, gambling hall, and brothel that ran nearly nonstop for roughly eight years, earning a reputation as one of the wickedest spots between New Orleans and San Francisco. Tradition holds that 26 people died here; the walls still carry some 140 bullet holes. An often-told ghost is Harry, a stagehand reportedly killed in 1882 when a sandbag struck his head, said to manipulate stage equipment. Visitors also describe a Lady in White, identified as Margarita, a woman murdered in a crib who appears in white and sings Spanish songs, plus phantom card players at the original poker table, old-time music, and the smells of cigar smoke and perfume with no source. The building has drawn paranormal television crews, including Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, who reported unexplained voices and movement. It operates today as a museum.
📍 535 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Tombstone, AZ · Get directions