A rope isn’t keeping people away from a hanging, but rotten wood certainly is.

In the back courtyard of the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, a gallows sags and tilts to one side. It wasn’t the original gallows where seven men dangled to death, but it still reflected the town’s historical period of hanging them high.

The elements and pests have left that structure unsafe, and the head of the park would like to construct a new one based upon an historic photo that gives him a glimpse of how the original gallows appeared.

But with state budget cuts and more pressing needs at the park, the gallows is coming up short.

Two months ago, Art Austin, park supervisor, noticed the gallows leaning to one side so roped them off in order to keep people away from them.

“It is extremely dangerous and hazardous,” Austin said.  “The gallows that are out there now were never designed to hold any weight.  And in spite of warning signs, we know that people have climbed up the stairs to get their picture taken on the gallows.”

Plans for reconstruction won’t be readied until next summer, although that is even uncertain, Austin said.

“I have to have time, and I have to have money, and I have to have the design approved by the state curator of collections, who is also the head of our exhibits division.” Austin said.

The cost of the current gallows was around $1,800. However, Austin predicted the cost of a new one will be more, but he is uncertain how much more.

At a time when funds are short, exhibits like the gallows may not be as important as other things that are needed, said Jay Reams, assistant director of the park division at Arizona State Parks.

“If you had money what would be the first thing you used it for,” Reams said.

“It (the gallows) might not rise to the top of the things we need to do.” Atop that list are fixing a leaky roof, spreading rocks to prevent flooding around the building and repairing a parking lot.

The current gallows is historically accurate.  Interestingly its construction was not done in accordance with any blueprints; its design was based on other gallows in the area.

Newspaper accounts that give good descriptions of the gallows and a photograph taken in 1905 lends further evidence the style of device.

“The photograph came from a reputable museum in southern Arizona and from a man who was a tourist who got his picture taken on the original gallows,” Austin said.

The gallows is an exhibit but they are important to complete for the historical nature of the courthouse, Austin said.

“It gives you a feeling for what was here.” Austin said. “People are very enthralled with execution.”