Eric,
Apparently there have been a number of brothel sites reported on for
Washington, DC, not just those associated with Hooker's Division. Before
the National Museum of the American Indian was built, the Smithsonian
Institution funded a major archaeological study of the area to be disturbed.
I don't have a journal reference for this work and hope that someone on the
list can provide a citation, but it is discussed on the Smithsonian website
www.si.edu/oahp/madam/ Of interest in this context was the finding of
quality porcelain sherds, quality meat cuts, numerous champagne corks, and
women's grooming items in Lot 12 corresponding to an upscale brothel that
had special significance in the Civil War. The owner and madame was Mary
Ann Hall. According to the article, at the time, there were some 500
registered (legal) brothels in the Capital and more than 5000 prostitutes
in town. The scale decreased in the late 19th century and Congress banned
prostitution in 1914. The artifacts at Mary Ann Hall's brothel were
compared to those used at the brothels of Hooker's Division and both were
compared to lower class brothels. Apparently there was a book written about
Ms. Hall's establishment in 1909 by Charles F. Weller. Hope this is
helpful.
Allen
Allen Vegotsky
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-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Powell <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 3:14 PM
Subject: Brothel References
>Dear Histarchers,
>
>For a piece I'm working on that deals with the archaeology of Storyville,
>New Orleans' legalized red light district, I'm trying to track down
>references to archaeology done at sites purported to be brothels. I know
>about work done in Washington's Hooker Division and in New York's Five
>Points, but does anyone out there know of other sites that turned up
>assemblages that might have come from brothels? Especially any late 19th,
>early 20th century sites?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Eric
>
>Eric Powell
>Associate Editor
>Archaeology Magazine
>3636 33rd St.
>Long Island City, NY 11106
>tel. (718) 472-3050 ext.12
>fax (718) 472-3051
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>webpage: www.archaeology.org
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