Prostitution In Colorado Saloons

In 1858 Gold was discovered in the Peaks Pikes region of what would later be known as the Colorado territory. As word of the precious metals discovery spread, tens of thousands of hopeful gold hunters flooded into the once sparsely populated region, intent of making the fortune in the endless hills and plains of Colorado. Particularly overnight leading to the foundation of dozens of small towns to house them and hundreds of business to provide to their needs both for recreation and supply. All over the Colorado Saloons spring up to meet the demands of the Fifty-niners as they would be called. Offering a wide-array of services from cards and various alcoholic beverages liquor too more mature entertainment and companionship, to the hordes of men …show more content…
Often lacking the brawn to do manual labor and the training to preform skilled labor and with most forms of respectable employment were barred to woman to them entirely. For many of these woman and all too often their hapless offspring it was a choice between destitution on the streets or sleeping with strangers(7). Sadly, be they prostitutes are not, public treatment and sentiment towards most Saloon girls was poor, particularly in Colorado. They were often the target of frequent harassment and insults as well as hefty fines. Not only that but many were publically shamed, declared prostitutes in local papers, wither they were or not. More than one tarnished innocent was driven to suicide by her abuse (7). Though not all Saloon Girls tolerated their mistreatment quietly, In Cripple Creek(7), put-upon Saloon Girls, fed up with their deplorable treatment at the hands of the local community waged a surpassingly successful campaign with the city council to not only clear their tarnished name and reduce the regular discrimination they faced but to distinguish themselves from prostitutes. They were they made it quite clear Dancers