In 1890, French Canadian brothers Arthur and Joseph Nadeau built a house of prostitution in Butte, Montana. Designed specifically as a brothel, each room featured both a door and a window which allowed customers to window shop. The Dumas served as a brothel until 1982. Today it is a small, private museum which is still in the processing of being renovated.
The Victorian brick building may be the last example of this type of Victorian brothel architecture in the United States.With regard to terminology, a parlor house was the top of the line house of prostitution with handsome furnishings. The Dumas was a parlor house. The term“brothel” referred to any common house of prostitution. The crib is the low-end of prostitution.
The Dumas was built to be a three level brothel. The main floor has large rooms and parlors which are connected by massive pocket doors which could be opened to create large rooms. The upper floor contains larger parlor rooms and a suite for the higher paying customers.
Butte is a mining town and traditionally the miners worked shifts around the clock. As a consequence, at the Dumas the women also worked shifts. It is estimated that about 100 women could be working at any one time. The women would average 4-6 customers per shift.
Renovation
The building is rundown and badly in need of repair, renovation, and restoration. It is a work in progress.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museums and their exhibits. Also from this series:
Museums 101: Victorian Life (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: A Drug Store and an Optical Shop (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The General Store (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Mining Town Organizations (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Wagons in Yellowstone (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Sustaining a City (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Constructing African-American Identity (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Rodin at Maryhill (Photo Diary)