Wyatt Earp
- Dr. Gil Ontai
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The Famous Gunslinger's Life in San Diego
by Dr. Gil Ontai • Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation Apr. 3, 2026
Wyatt Earp was a famous figure of the American Old West, best known as a lawman, gambler, and gunfighter. He’s most closely associated with places like Tombstone, Arizona, and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, where he and his brothers confronted a group of outlaws. But many don't know that later in life, Wyatt Earp spent significant time in the San Diego area, mostly throughout the 1880s and 1890s. Instead of acting as a lawman in our city, he made his money in San Diego mostly by running various gambling operations. He leased and operated saloons and gambling halls in what was then a booming real estate town. He additionally owned substantial properties in the Hillcrest area.
When Earp arrived around 1887, San Diego was in the middle of a land boom. He capitalized on the influx of newcomers by opening upscale gambling establishments, catering to wealthy investors and visitors. One of his most notable spots to frequent was the Maison Dorée, a popular oyster bar and ice cream parlor located in the Louis Bank of Commerce building in the Gaslamp Quarter.
He lived in what is now the Horton Grand Hotel (then The Brooklyn Hotel) with his common-law wife, Josephine Marcus Earp. They stayed in San Diego for nearly a decade before eventually moving on to other mining and boomtown opportunities in Nome, Alaska.
Earp’s time in San Diego shows a different side of him. Instead of a frontier lawman, he was more of a businessman and gambler, taking advantage of California’s economic booms rather than enforcing the law.
To learn more about Wyatt Earp's time in San Diego, consider booking a historian-led guided tour through the Gaslamp Quarter about Wyatt Earp.
Comments