Historic Colorado town red light district gives glimpses of life during the gold rush

During the Pikes Peak Gold Rush in Colorado, mining camps quickly grew into bustling towns. Glimpses of history can be seen through architectural remains and objects left behind, even red light districts can provide a tangible link to the past.
If you look hard enough at the aspen-covered hillside just below the old Coeur d'Alene gold mine in Central City, you can kind of see what it used to be. The plot of rugged earth was once Central City's red light district, five houses outside of town where residents went to unwind after a long day.
Metro State University of Denver
"They were brothels," says Jade Luiz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Metro State University of Denver. "This never was legal, but the community sort of largely tolerated its presence."
But that's not why Doctor Luiz and her team of student archaeologists have come up here every summer since 2023 and spent days digging in the dirt. It's because they want the stuff the residents and patrons of the brothels threw away. Things like bones from meals, old fabric, corsets and lots of shoes.
CBS
"The everyday stuff that's not glamorous and not sexy," said Luiz. "Because this tells us most about everyday life and how people are engaging with the landscape up here, interacting with each other, interacting with the town."
In conjunction with old newspaper articles, their findings have helped paint a picture of what life was like between saloon girls, their customers and even those who were just neighbors with the people of the red light district.
"We're seeing evidence of people buying medicines from local pharmacies, patronizing different businesses," said Luiz.
CBS
And while the project may seem a bit cheeky, it's actually very important because it's our shared Colorado history, and one that Central City is happy to embrace.
"This community doesn't hide the fact that there was this industry here for so long. And that makes this location so unique," said Luiz.
Luiz says they'll keep digging up there as long as the property owners and the State let them. They're really excited for the possibility of digging up there next summer, because they say they'll be getting into an old privy, which they insist is actually really exciting.

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