Idaho Madams

by Milana Marsenich

Fur, silver, and gold first lured men to Idaho Territory. Women soon followed. And what women they were! Molly B'Damn, Peg Leg Annie, Spanish Belle, Lou Beevers, Diamond Tooth Lil—the names alone promised excitement and intrigue. In fact, these madams led complex, turbulent lives. Meet Maggie Hall, a devout Catholic whose husband used her to pay off his gambling debts. Working as a prostitute, Maggie made her way west and, as Molly B'Damn, became the guardian angel of an Idaho mining camp. Or Annie McIntyre, a young girl among the prospectors and ne'er do wells of Rocky Bar who amassed a small fortune as the local madam only to lose it all—along with both her legs. Idaho Madams uncovers the enigmatic and salacious lives of 30 women who ran brothels in the Gem State from the 1850s to the 1980s. Here are the hedonistic and sometimes heroic exploits of Effie Rogan, Jennie Girard, Nettie Bowen, Ginger Murphy, Dixie Colton, and Dot Allen, but also the unsung sagas of Carrie Young, Grace Freeman, Willow Herman, Hattie Carlton, and many more. As told by author Milana Marsenich, the stories of these women come alive with voluptuous detail, historical photographs, and the social context of the times.

160 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2023

About the author

Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky. She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, and Feminist Studies. She has a short story included in The Montana Quarterly book Montana, Warts and All, The Best From Our First Decade. Copper Sky is her first novel.

Reviews

[Nina Romano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read a great deal of nonfiction, but this book succeeded in capturing my attention for several reasons. The first of these is that it was written by an exceptional author, Milana Marsenich, whose fiction I so admire. The next reason is because I love the beautiful state of Idaho and lastly, because I am by nature curious and interested in learning more about the lives of people who lived in the west, and in this case—madams and prostitutes.

This is a book that delivers all that I was seeking! Every writer and reader of Westerns should own a copy of this book to have in their libraries! It is well-researched. Apparently, the author even searched in doctoral studies and library papers from grad schools to discover more information concerning these women not found easily in history books.

Marsenich generously gives as much detail as possible into the lives of these women. The stories are diverse—some tragic, heart-rending, endearing, and many shocking! The thing that I found the most rewarding is that "truth is stranger than fiction" for sure and that Marsenich keeps readers focused and interested until the last word on the last page. BRAVA!

[Wendy Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Idaho Madams" discusses the fascinating history of Madams in Idaho from the mid to late 1800s. I loved learning about the subject through their personal stories, photographs, and the political and economic climate of the time.

“Idaho Madams” by Milana Marsenich is an exceptionally well-written and thoroughly researched non-fiction book. The author writes eloquently in a compassionate voice about the Madams' history, fierceness, firebrand, and being trailblazers for future generations of women. These Madams were an integral and oft-forgotten part of American history (and specifically Idaho’s history.)

The Madams were women who made tough choices for survival and independence. "Idaho Madams” offers an empowered perspective on the tenacious and tender Madams who ran brothels, boarding houses, and bordellos in Idaho from the mid-1800s through the turn of the century and into the age of prohibition. The author brings depth, compassion, a fascinating narrative, and a rich history to the Madams.

The author has researched the topic thoroughly and presented the story of thirty or so different madams realistically. Personal history and the economics of the day were pivotal influences in these women’s careers as madams. There were few choices for women to support themselves independently and out of need when escaping abusive marriages, the financial strains of widowhood, violent pasts, and poverty.

The author details these Madams as tender women who cared for those around them in sickness and with grace. These women were tough and independent, could stand up to any man, and protected the women working for them. These Madams created “families” with the women who worked for them, as most were without families or had left their families.

I loved this book and its subject matter, which brought a realistic light to these women who were a pivotal part of American history.

[Cheryle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Men came west for the promise of unbelievable wealth and adventure. Women soon followed also seeking wealth but their stories as told by author Marsenich are filled with a wide vatiety of experience, not all obtaining the desired wealth.
Women in the eras of the late 1800's had a tough existence if there was no man to support them. So why did they come to places so wild and untamed as Idaho? Actually most single women had few choices. This time in the history of our country most single women were destitute and improverished, especially if they had made mistakes in the past.
Montana author Milana Maresenich has written an informative and entertaining book that relates the lives of women who came to Idaho. Her background as a therapist helped her pen a good look at an issue women have fought to achieve for years-especially equality and significance.
This book is well researched even in the fact of little documentation from the era. Maresenich has not embellished or glamorized the topic when it would have been easy to do due to the scant historical detail available. The pictures included add to the vignettes that are included. There is a great index of source material broken into chapters relating to the book. The beautiful cover is an added bonus to a terrific nonfiction work and a worthwhile read.

[Susan Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Molly B’Damn to Diamond Tooth Lil, we encounter many of Idaho’s madams of the late 19th Century. Marsenich uncovers their difficult lives with intricate detail and historical photographs. She keenly notes, “The madams acted as motherly figures. They acted as friends. And they acted as savvy bosses, running profitable businesses.”

I felt as if I’d journeyed west to meet them. Some came to their doorways and introduced themselves, but others only looked out fearfully from drawn curtains. Without any social nets to assist them, these women managed to climb the ranks of prostitution to that of madams of bordellos or brothels. I was as amazed by their courage as I was saddened by their losses. Little wonder that some committed suicide to escape the hardships of their misfortunes.

Milana Marsenich proves to be as excellent a researcher as she is a writer. I was amazed by the number of women she brought back to life on the pages of this informative and succinctly written book.

There is much fodder here for historical fiction authors! And I highly recommend this book to readers interested in furthering their understanding of the Old West—to see through the lens of HER-story.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about the history of Idaho as well as their Madams who often were the ones that kept towns going and women safe. It was fascinating to read about the strength and endurance of these women considering all that they had to deal with during a time when women were seen as housewives. Many of these women had a tough childhood but worked to better their life and the life of others they took in. It was interesting how so many laws were against them and yet they at times had police and officials in their pockets and could often get out of something by just paying a fine. As comes with this profession, there were also many who were dealt a lot blows to their business as well as physically. I thoroughly enjoyed the history of the towns that was also written into the story of these true women. I would be interested in reading the other Madame books from other states, as they really were a part of building towns and the economy in those areas. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Wow! Women on Writing for the tour invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating peek into history, and what you find might surprise you quite a bit. Personally, when I think old west and madams, Idaho isn't the first thing that came to mind - but that's not what I found to be the most fascinating part of this. I was surprised to find that not only were there madams running their own houses as well as pimps, they weren't just there for entertainment - they were also an important part of the economy along with quite a few other things. I don't want to get too in-depth in my review, but I highly recommend reading this if you're interested in history or even just women's history, which is often pushed aside in favor of more patriarchal views. Marsenich presents everything in a clear and easy-to-read way, while really bringing these women's lives to life. Honestly, I'd love to read more about madams in other states now, learn their stories, and dive into all the nuance that history books too often leave behind.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was impressed with Milana Marsenich's coverage of a sometimes difficult topic in Idaho Madams. Rather than glamorize or romanticize their lives as some books on the topic do, she treats their memory with respect, and honors the difficulty of the decisions many women were faced with in a society/culture dominated by men. She focuses on the strength, courage and kindness of the women (in most cases), yet also readily admits when historic evidence/record is lacking rather than making up tales or exaggerating to make the book more enticing. If you are interested in a well-researched, non-graphic, fair, yet interesting book on the topic of prostitutes, give this one a try.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Idaho Madams, Milana Marsenich explores the lives of women who worked in and ran brothels in the state of Idaho from the mid-1800s until the 1980s (which I found so surprising!). Previously a fiction writer, Marsenich wanted to try her hand at nonfiction, and her first offering, while short, is full of interesting facts about a little-known class of women. Brothels and prostitution are by no means secret, but not much is known about the individual lives of women who partook in such a profession. Marsenich has dug deep to give us a clearer picture of who some of these women were and the reasons why they opened their brothels - some were forced into prostitution and worked their way up, while for others it was a choice to help create a comfortable life for themselves and make money for their families, as well as earn a place in their community. The individual stories are interesting, although some are very bare-bones. Marsenich puts the women and their stories into a larger historical context, moving from town to town across Idaho and through the years as the region developed. She explores how the women were able to run their businesses and the issues many faced, both legally and morally. Overall, Marsenich has taken a rather taboo topic and given it a very human face, showing the complex lives these madams lived.

[Maggie Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about the life and times of some Idaho’s madames. This very well researched book tells of the hardships these women faced and how the temperance movement and prohibition had a profound effect on their lives. Once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it down. Absolutely loved it!

[Pam G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such great stories! Chapter 6 was one of my favorites... wow. I really liked the size and feel of this paperback, too. It was comfortable to hold and read. The historic pictures are wonderful and I wish there were even more.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wild ride into a subject I know absolutely nothing about, but I think I need to know more about this for my own state.