Brothel Guides

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 3:57 am

Remember the guidebook the hero in The Crimson Petal and the White consults? These really did exist! You can read one covering establishments in Manhattan here, complete with advertisements.

http://documents.nytimes.com/a-vest-poc ... -on-the-go

annis · Post by **annis** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 5:10 am

I'm trying to remember which novel set in the 18th century mentioned Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies (1773), a guide book for sex tourists visiting London to help them find a prostitute that would suit their taste and income.

See Hallie Rubenhold's non-fiction book, Harris' List for some entertaining Georgian history!

I believe that similar guides were also available for young gentlemen doing the Grand Tour of Europe for the best deals in cities like Paris and Venice.

SarahWoodbury · Post by **SarahWoodbury** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 5:30 am

In our little town of Pendleton, Oregon, (today, its pop. is 17,000) back in the 1880s we had 35 saloons and 18 brothels. There's a non-profit group that runs an underground tour of the brothels built under main street so you could frequent them surreptitiously. The last brothel didn't close until 1965!

wendy · Post by **wendy** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 3:10 pm

[quote=""SarahWoodbury""]In our little town of Pendleton, Oregon, (today, it's pop. is 17,000) back in the 1880s we had 35 saloons and 18 brothels. There's a non-profit group that runs an underground tour of the brothels built under main street so you could frequent them surreptitiously. The last brothel didn't close until 1965![/quote]

We visited your fascinating town last year and did the Underground Tour. Quite a mind-blowing experience!
Anyone interested in early Canadian brothels might like "Red Lights on the Prairies" (James H. Gray) - it's a bit "dry" but good for research information.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 3:32 pm

[quote=""SarahWoodbury""]In our little town of Pendleton, Oregon, (today, it's pop. is 17,000) back in the 1880s we had 35 saloons and 18 brothels. There's a non-profit group that runs an underground tour of the brothels built under main street so you could frequent them surreptitiously. The last brothel didn't close until 1965![/quote]

I did not know about that. I've made a mental note to check it out in case I make it that way again. I do love Eastern Oregon but it is a bit of a trek to get there.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 4:55 pm

Misfit, since you love eastern Oregon you might like a book I recently read. It's called A Sweetness to the Soul by Jane Kirkpatrick, and it's a fictionalized account of the lives of Joseph and Jane Sherar, who were early settlers near The Dalles. It takes place during the late 1800s, when there was a bit of a gold rush in central Oregon, and Sherar was drawn there to make his fortune selling supplies to miners and fell in love with the natural beauty of the place (and with Jane) and stayed. He and others were convinced that the gold rush would draw settlers to central Oregon, that they would prefer it to the rain-heavy Willamette Valley, and that central Oregon would boom and become the population hub of the state. So he helped build a lot of early roads and bridges to make that part of the state more easily traversible.

This is considered Christian fiction, but the Christian element is really, really mild, almost non-existent, so I think you'd be okay with it. Kirkpatrick's writing is heavy with imagery that gives it an almost poetic feel. I definitely plan to read more of her books.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 7:19 pm

[quote=""Michy""]Misfit, since you love eastern Oregon you might like a book I recently read. It's called A Sweetness to the Soul by Jane Kirkpatrick, and it's a fictionalized account of the lives of Joseph and Jane Sherar, who were early settlers near The Dalles. It takes place during the late 1800s, when there was a bit of a gold rush in central Oregon, and Sherar was drawn there to make his fortune selling supplies to miners and fell in love with the natural beauty of the place (and with Jane) and stayed. He and others were convinced that the gold rush would draw settlers to central Oregon, that they would prefer it to the rain-heavy Willamette Valley, and that central Oregon would boom and become the population hub of the state. So he helped build a lot of early roads and bridges to make that part of the state more easily traversible.

This is considered Christian fiction, but the Christian element is really, really mild, almost non-existent, so I think you'd be okay with it. Kirkpatrick's writing is heavy with imagery that gives it an almost poetic feel. I definitely plan to read more of her books.[/quote]

Thank you, I will look that up and put it on the list. As for Central Oregon now, I'd say Bend and its environs are getting loved to death with growth and expansion.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 7:39 pm

I lived in Bend for a brief period of my childhood -- it is beautiful. And my stepfather's sister used to live in La Pine. On our way to the Salem area for Christmas every year, we'd always stop over there. They lived in a small house that was literally in the woods. It always seemed to snow while we were there, it was like living a winter postcard. *sigh*

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 7:58 pm

[quote=""Michy""]I lived in Bend for a brief period of my childhood -- it is beautiful. And my stepfather's sister used to live in La Pine. On our way to the Salem area for Christmas every year, we'd always stop over there. They lived in a small house that was literally in the woods. It always seemed to snow while we were there, it was like living a winter postcard. *sigh*[/quote]

I assume you've *done* MacKenzie Pass then. What a narrow road, but as for that scenery, wowza.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Sat January 29th, 2011, 9:26 pm

Of course they existed. Those Victorians were clever folks.