Prostitution in the West by Meggan Connors
As you all know, we love at History Undressed love tantalizing tid-bits! Today we are thoroughly engrossed in guest author, Meggan Connors' post on prostitution! Enjoy! (Leave a comment for a chance to win a ecopy of Ms. Connors' book, THE MARKER. As a bonus, I will also toss in an ebook copy of WICKED WOMAN, my alter-ego's old west saloon dolly's tale as well!)
Prostitution in the Old Westby Meggan Connors
When you think of a prostitute in the old west, do you thinkof a woman wandering the dusty, lonely streets in search of a man to give her apenny for a…ahem…moment of her time?
Certainly, prostitutes in the old west ran the gamut. Therewere, of course, those women who walked the streets and carried a sheet to layon the ground. Then there were the women who operated out of cribs—small,apartment-like rooms with a single window. But there were also madams whosefame was well known, and who were actually considered respectable citizens,despite the notoriety of their chosen profession.
From the red light districts of San Francisco's infamous BarbaryCoast to the grand brothels of Virginia City, NV, to the mobile cat wagons of FortDodge—prostitutes were a fixture in western towns and cities.
These women went by many names: soiled doves, or doves;ladies of the night; scarlet ladies; sportin' women; women of ill repute or illfame; and demimonde, just to name a few. What they all had in common was thatthey sold their bodies in exchange for money.
Then, as now, many women fell into prostitution. Themajority of women engaged in prostitution were young (most of them were underthirty years of age), with poor educations, largely illiterate, with familiesthat had either cast them out or were not in a position to help them. Some ofthem were brought into the profession by their husbands or their mothers, orfell into it because they were seduced by their wealthy employers. These womensimply didn't have the means to provide for themselves, other than by sellingthe one thing they had at their disposal.
But prostitution, just like mining and working the railroad,was a dangerous occupation. These women died in childbirth, of disease, andmany of them met violent ends. Some of them became addicted to drugs, as theysought a means to drown their pain. Others committed suicide. And, much liketoday, many of these women ran the risk of being murdered.
As with any other profession, the prices varied depending onthe woman's age and assets (young and inexperienced was good, as wasattractiveness). On San Francisco's Barbary Coast—once termed "that sinkof moral pollution, whose reefs are strewn with moral wrecks…" by the SanFrancisco Call—American womencommanded a higher price than Mexican women and Asian women, while NativeAmerican women and redheads commanded a higher price than other white women, asNative American women and redheads were thought to be more amorous than theothers.
Still, the average prices for "tossing" one's"fanny" ranged from 25 cents to one dollar.
Yet while the Barbary Coast catered to the lowest of thelow, other prostitutes became respectable citizens, and their deaths genuinelymourned (more by the men than the women). One of these instances is the case ofJulia Bulette. As one of the first white women to come to Virginia City,NV—and, for a time, the only white woman in the city—she quickly became aprostitute and madam of some renown. Her brothel was a house in the rococodesign, and quite fashionable for the era. She bestowed her favors upon thefirefighters and the miners of the town, who considered her to be an angel ofmercy. She once opened up her brothel to sick miners when they drankcontaminated water, and she nursed them back to health herself. Another time,she refused to leave Virginia City for the safety of Carson City when an attackby native tribes seemed imminent. She was often seen walking about town in hersable furs and expensive jewels. Eventually, she became so well respected shewas made an honorary firefighter.
When she was brutally murdered inside her house in 1867, itwas termed by the Territorial Enterprise (thenewspaper which employed Mark Twain for a time) as "the most cruel,outrageous and revolting murder ever committed in this city." Her funeralwas overseen by the local firefighters and miners, who followed her inprocession behind a black-plumed, glass-walled hearse. Her gravesite is stilltended to this day, and her picture hangs on the wall in at least one saloon.When her murderer was apprehended a year later, his execution was witnessed by"everyone," including Mark Twain.
It's no surprise that the oldest of professions thrived inthe Old West. Nor is it a surprise that the women involved ran the gamut fromvile criminals to near saints (according to local lore—the truth is probablysomewhere in the middle). Then, as now, prostitutes came in every price range,from streetwalkers to wealthy madams. After all, where there are men andmoney—and few women—there will always be those who will seek to take advantageof the situation.
For those women willing to do it, it was a sure way to makea quick dollar.
*~*~*~*~*
Meggan Connors is the award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, THE MARKER, released this past December. Visit Meggan at www.megganconnors.com
About the Book:
When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, the marker he won at the card table, it's not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas' considerable charms.
Since his brother's death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas' attention for long–not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie's cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question remains: will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk… and gamble on love?
Prostitution in the Old Westby Meggan Connors
When you think of a prostitute in the old west, do you thinkof a woman wandering the dusty, lonely streets in search of a man to give her apenny for a…ahem…moment of her time?Certainly, prostitutes in the old west ran the gamut. Therewere, of course, those women who walked the streets and carried a sheet to layon the ground. Then there were the women who operated out of cribs—small,apartment-like rooms with a single window. But there were also madams whosefame was well known, and who were actually considered respectable citizens,despite the notoriety of their chosen profession.
From the red light districts of San Francisco's infamous BarbaryCoast to the grand brothels of Virginia City, NV, to the mobile cat wagons of FortDodge—prostitutes were a fixture in western towns and cities.
These women went by many names: soiled doves, or doves;ladies of the night; scarlet ladies; sportin' women; women of ill repute or illfame; and demimonde, just to name a few. What they all had in common was thatthey sold their bodies in exchange for money.
Then, as now, many women fell into prostitution. Themajority of women engaged in prostitution were young (most of them were underthirty years of age), with poor educations, largely illiterate, with familiesthat had either cast them out or were not in a position to help them. Some ofthem were brought into the profession by their husbands or their mothers, orfell into it because they were seduced by their wealthy employers. These womensimply didn't have the means to provide for themselves, other than by sellingthe one thing they had at their disposal.
But prostitution, just like mining and working the railroad,was a dangerous occupation. These women died in childbirth, of disease, andmany of them met violent ends. Some of them became addicted to drugs, as theysought a means to drown their pain. Others committed suicide. And, much liketoday, many of these women ran the risk of being murdered.
As with any other profession, the prices varied depending onthe woman's age and assets (young and inexperienced was good, as wasattractiveness). On San Francisco's Barbary Coast—once termed "that sinkof moral pollution, whose reefs are strewn with moral wrecks…" by the SanFrancisco Call—American womencommanded a higher price than Mexican women and Asian women, while NativeAmerican women and redheads commanded a higher price than other white women, asNative American women and redheads were thought to be more amorous than theothers.
Still, the average prices for "tossing" one's"fanny" ranged from 25 cents to one dollar.
Yet while the Barbary Coast catered to the lowest of thelow, other prostitutes became respectable citizens, and their deaths genuinelymourned (more by the men than the women). One of these instances is the case ofJulia Bulette. As one of the first white women to come to Virginia City,NV—and, for a time, the only white woman in the city—she quickly became aprostitute and madam of some renown. Her brothel was a house in the rococodesign, and quite fashionable for the era. She bestowed her favors upon thefirefighters and the miners of the town, who considered her to be an angel ofmercy. She once opened up her brothel to sick miners when they drankcontaminated water, and she nursed them back to health herself. Another time,she refused to leave Virginia City for the safety of Carson City when an attackby native tribes seemed imminent. She was often seen walking about town in hersable furs and expensive jewels. Eventually, she became so well respected shewas made an honorary firefighter.
When she was brutally murdered inside her house in 1867, itwas termed by the Territorial Enterprise (thenewspaper which employed Mark Twain for a time) as "the most cruel,outrageous and revolting murder ever committed in this city." Her funeralwas overseen by the local firefighters and miners, who followed her inprocession behind a black-plumed, glass-walled hearse. Her gravesite is stilltended to this day, and her picture hangs on the wall in at least one saloon.When her murderer was apprehended a year later, his execution was witnessed by"everyone," including Mark Twain.
It's no surprise that the oldest of professions thrived inthe Old West. Nor is it a surprise that the women involved ran the gamut fromvile criminals to near saints (according to local lore—the truth is probablysomewhere in the middle). Then, as now, prostitutes came in every price range,from streetwalkers to wealthy madams. After all, where there are men andmoney—and few women—there will always be those who will seek to take advantageof the situation.
For those women willing to do it, it was a sure way to makea quick dollar.
*~*~*~*~*
Meggan Connors is the award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, THE MARKER, released this past December. Visit Meggan at www.megganconnors.com
About the Book:
When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, the marker he won at the card table, it's not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas' considerable charms.Since his brother's death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas' attention for long–not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie's cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question remains: will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk… and gamble on love?
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