Red Light Women of Death Valley

Red Light Women of Death Valley
Author: Robin Flinchum
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2015-09-28
Genre: History
ISBN: 1625855524

“Focuses on the lives of several prostitutes who worked in Death Valley area boomtowns between the 1870s and the early 1900s . . . Colorful and intriguing” (Pahrump Valley Times). From the 1870s to the turn of the century, while countless men gambled their fortunes in Death Valley’s mines, many bold women capitalized on the boom-and-bust lifestyle and established saloons and brothels. These lively ladies were clever entrepreneurs and fearless adventurers but also mothers, wives, and respected members of their communities. Madam Lola Travis was one of the wealthiest single women in Inyo County in the 1870s. Known as “Diamond Tooth Lil,” Evelyn Hildegard was a poor immigrant girl who became a western legend. Local author and historian Robin Flinchum chronicles the lives of these women and many others who were unafraid to live outside the bounds of polite society and risk everything for a better future in the forbidding Death Valley desert. Includes photos! “Flinchum’s lively prose and detailed descriptions bring these women into focus, and provide a historically accurate and interesting overview of Death Valley’s pioneering mining era.” —Sierra Wave Media “A thoroughly entertaining and highly enlightening account of the wild Death Valley boom camps’ daring red light ladies . . . A very enjoyable and engaging book. A great read!” —Richard Lingenfelter, author of Death Valley & the Amargosa: A Land of Illusion

Good Time Girls of Nevada and Utah

Good Time Girls of Nevada and Utah
Author: Jan MacKell Collins
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 267
Release: 2022-04-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1493050990

As settlements and civilization moved West to follow the lure of mineral wealth and the trade of the Santa Fe Trail, prostitution grew and flourished within the mining camps, small towns, and cities the nineteenth-century Nevada and Utah. Whether escaping a bad home life, lured by false advertising, or seeking to subsidize their income, thousands of women chose or were forced to enter an industry where they faced segregation and persecution, fines and jailing, and battled the other hazards of their profession. Some dreamed of escape through marriage or retirement, and some became infamous and even successful, but more often found relief only in death. An integral part of western history, the stories of these women continue to fascinate readers and captivate the minds of historians today. Nevada and Utah each had their share of working girls and madams who remain notorious celebrities in the annals of history, like Kate Flint and Dora Topham, but Collins also includes the stories of lesser-known women whose roles in this illicit trade help shape our understanding of the American West.

Good Time Girls of California

Good Time Girls of California
Author: Jan MacKell Collins
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2021-03-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1493050974

While settlers were drawn out West by the often empty promises of the Gold Rush, prostitution grew and flourished within the mining camps, small towns, and cities of nineteenth-century California. Whether escaping a bad home life, lured by false advertising, or seeking to subsidize their income, thousands of women chose or were forced to enter an industry where they faced segregation and persecution, fines and jailing, and battled the other hazards of their profession. Some dreamed of escape through marriage or retirement, and some became infamous and even successful, but more often found relief only in death. An integral part of western history, the stories of these women continue to fascinate readers and captivate the minds of historians today. Working girls and madams like Bodie's famous Rosa May and the gambler Madame Moustache remain notorious celebrities in the annals of history, and Collins also includes the stories of lesser-known women whose roles in this illicit trade help shape our understanding of the American West.

Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains

Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains
Author: Jan MacKell
Publisher: UNM Press
Total Pages: 482
Release: 2011-10-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 082634612X

Throughout the development of the American West, prostitution grew and flourished within the mining camps, small towns, and cities of the nineteenth-century Rocky Mountains. Whether escaping a bad home life, lured by false advertising, or seeking to subsidize their income, thousands of women chose or were forced to enter an industry where they faced segregation and persecution, fines and jailing, and battled the hazards of disease, drug addiction, physical abuse, pregnancy, and abortion. They dreamed of escape through marriage or retirement, but more often found relief only in death. An integral part of western history, the stories of these women continue to fascinate readers and captivate the minds of historians today. Expanding on the research she did for Brothels, Bordellos, and Bad Girls (UNM Press), historian Jan MacKell moves beyond the mining towns of Colorado to explore the history of prostitution in the Rocky Mountain states of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Each state had its share of working girls and madams like Big Nose Kate or Calamity Jane who remain celebrities in the annals of history, but MacKell also includes the stories of lesser-known women whose role in this illicit trade nonetheless shaped our understanding of the American West.

Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains

Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains
Author: Jan MacKell Collins
Publisher: UNM Press
Total Pages: 483
Release: 2009
Genre: History
ISBN: 0826346103

These profiles of the soiled doves who plied the oldest trade in the Rocky Mountains explain many of the facts of life in the nineteenth and twentieth century West.

Death Valley and the Amargosa

Death Valley and the Amargosa
Author: Richard E. Lingenfelter
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 700
Release: 1988-01-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780520908888

This is the history of Death Valley, where that bitter stream the Amargosa dies. It embraces the whole basin of the Amargosa from the Panamints to the Spring Mountains, from the Palmettos to the Avawatz. And it spans a century from the earliest recollections and the oldest records to that day in 1933 when much of the valley was finally set aside as a National Monument. This is the story of an illusory land, of the people it attracted and of the dreams and delusions they pursued-the story of the metals in its mountains and the salts in its sinks, of its desiccating heat and its revitalizing springs, and of all the riches of its scenery and lore-the story of Indians and horse thieves, lost argonauts and lost mine hunters, prospectors and promoters, miners and millionaires, stockholders and stock sharps, homesteaders and hermits, writers and tourists. But mostly this is the story of the illusions-the illusions of a shortcut to the gold diggings that lured the forty-niners, of inescapable deadliness that hung in the name they left behind, of lost bonanzas that grew out of the few nuggets they found, of immeasurable riches spread by hopeful prospectors and calculating con men, and of impenetrable mysteries concocted by the likes of Scotty. These and many lesser illusions are the heart of its history.

Across Death Valley

Across Death Valley
Author: Mary Barmeyer O'Brien
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2009-06-02
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0762755946

Across Death Valley tells the remarkable story of one woman’s brave struggle to keep her family alive during one of the most arduous and dramatic episodes in the history of Western migration. A riveting narrative by a writer known for her books on pioneers, Across Death Valley is a fictionalized account based on the true story of the legendary journey that Juliet Wells Brier, her husband, and their three sons undertook during the Gold Rush from Salt Lake City to the settlement of Los Angeles. Departing Salt Lake City via wagon train, the Briers had been promised an easy trip along the well-traveled Old Spanish Trail to California. But, after several agonizing weeks, some of the families—the Briers included—broke off from the main group to continue on an unmapped shortcut. As hardships mounted they splintered into smaller groups until, finally, the Briers were traveling alone. Their chosen route led directly into Death Valley—eventually, on foot. Diminutive Julia piggybacked her youngest son even when she was near death from thirst and exhaustion. Rich in compelling detail, Across Death Valley is an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and hope.

Loafing Along Death Valley Trails

Loafing Along Death Valley Trails
Author: William Caruthers
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2023-10-28
Genre: History
ISBN:

In William Caruthers' 'Loafing Along Death Valley Trails', readers are taken on a literary journey through the rugged landscapes of Death Valley, where they encounter fascinating tales of exploration, survival, and the human spirit. Caruthers' writing style is marked by its vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling, making this book a compelling read for anyone interested in the history and folklore of the American West. The author's attention to detail immerses the reader in the harsh yet beautiful terrain of Death Valley, bringing to life the struggles and triumphs of those who dared to venture into this unforgiving wilderness. Caruthers' work is a valuable contribution to the literary landscape of the West, offering a unique perspective on a region that has captivated explorers and storytellers for generations. Readers who enjoy historical narratives and adventure tales will find 'Loafing Along Death Valley Trails' both informative and entertaining, a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the essence of the American frontier.