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 basement holds cribs—rooms with just enough space for a bed. A door in the basement leads to the underground tunnels which were connected to various businesses downtown. This allowed patrons to enter anonymously.
In 1942, the federal government attempted to shut down all brothels. The Dumas closed underground passages and the basement. The basement cribs were sealed with everything left by the women still in place.
When with a customer, the woman simply drew a curtain.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum exhibits. More from this series:
Museums 101: The Historic Dumas Brothel Museum (Photo Diary)
Dumas Brothel Museum: The Second Floor (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Mining Town Services (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Horse-Drawn Wagons in Fort Steele (Photo Diary)
Riverside Heritage House: The Main Floor (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Secret Life of an Artifact (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Pixies