Brothels, Bordellos, & Bad Girls: Prostitution in Colorado 1860-1930.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.
• Position: Book Review

BROTHELS, BORDELLOS, & BAD GIRLS Prostitution In Colorado 1860-1930 BY JAN MACKELL UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO PRESS 2004, 310 PAGES, $24.95

Now here's a different kind of book. The topic is interesting--should one say titillating?--the author knowledgeable, the presentation nonjudgmental, and the work scholarly with end notes, bibliography, and index. The habitues of the bawdy houses, crib joints, cat houses, parlors, chicken ranches, maisons de tolerance--call them what you like--have their own designations. Among them are soiled doves, ladies of the night, painted ladies, streetwalkers, whores, harlots, nympths du pave, high class courtesans, or simply prostitutes. With 15 years of research to her credit, Jan MacKell gets into the whys and wherefores of prostitution. She wants to find out the background, desires, and expectations of these women, who range in age from 15 to 50. Her coverage is limited to mining towns in Colorado from 1860-1930, but her findings universal.

Many of the ladies were from poverty-stricken or abused homes, others, escapees from dull marriages, while a number came from respectable social standing. No small motivation came from the money they raked in from their customers. Most had marriage as their aspiration, but some wound up with a husband whose intent was to arrange liaisons, thereby serving only as a pimp.

Of course, prostitution and soldiering are the world's two oldest professions. Gambling was a rider to prostitution and so many of the houses served bettors as well. When reading this well-written work, one recalls with a sly wink the Boston Madam. Time magazine said she was every man's delight. She was a lady by day and a hooker by night. One also thinks of Miss Kitty of the TV series "Gunsmoke." Although many of the viewers never realized it, she was a madam and had her coterie of girls. Yet, one thing should be noted, namely...