But the Rangers have always had a strong presence in the southern part of the state, and the Modern Arizona Rangers, begun in 1957, are no different. In modern-day Tombstone, the locals embrace the presence of their Ranger company and Rangers patrol the historic boardwalks of the Town Too Tough to Die just as they do in Bisbee, Sedona, and elsewhere in the state.
This past weekend, on Saturday, July 3, 2021, Tombstone hosted the entire Ranger organization for a parade to honor their service not only to the City of Tombstone, but to the State of Arizona. Rangers travelled from all over the state to participate in the parade down historic Allen Street as the town and tourists cheered.
As a long-time Ranger, I was proud to participate in the parade and festivities. One of the Mission statements of the Rangers is to “keep alive the history and traditions of the Old West,” and in this mission the history of the Rangers and the history of Tombstone neatly coincide. I am proud to wear the badge of the Arizona Rangers and I am honored to be recognized by the Town Too Tough to Die for my service to law enforcement, to local communities, and to the people of this great state. We are the Few, the Proud, Then and Now.
If you would like to join our ranks, go to https://azrangers.gov and find the Ranger company closest to you!
*There was a Ranger company officially formed during 1881-82 in the Territory, but it suffered from budget issues from the start and had little affect on territorial law enforcement; nowhere near the impact of the later (1901-1909) Ranger companies.