‘the worst-kept secret in town’ For years, Deadwood’s brothels were an active part of the community’s history. That all came to an end May 21, 1980, when federal and local law enforcement agencies raided the brothels and they were closed forever. Un t i l n ow.
The
Brothel
Deadwood Story by Jaci Conrad Pearson
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n August, Deadwood History, Inc.’s (DHI) The Brothel Deadwood opened for historic tours at 610 Main St., interpreting the story of prostitution in Deadwood from 1876 to 1980 in a 3,000 square-foot space that formerly occupied a “cat house” called the Shasta Rooms, aka, The Beige Door Brothel.
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“It’s a 104-year history of the brothels in Deadwood, from 1876 to 1980, and we have eight rooms that we have curated to represent that 104-year period,” said DHI Executive Director Carolyn Weber, who invested thousands of hours of research into telling The Brothel Dead-
Destination Deadwood©
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Fall, Winter • 2020–2021