Dumas Brothel

Dumas Brothel
The Dumas Brothel
Dumas Brothel is located in Montana
Dumas Brothel
Dumas Brothel is located in the United States
Dumas Brothel
Location45 East Mercury Street, Butte, Montana
Coordinates46°00′41″N 112°32′04″W / 46.01143°N 112.534372°W / 46.01143; -112.534372
Built1890
Architectural styleVictorian
Part ofButte-Anaconda Historic District (ID66000438[1])

The Dumas Brothel was a brothel in Butte, Montana. The brothel was founded by French-Canadian brothers Joseph and Arthur Nadeau in 1890 and named after the nominal owner, Delia Nadeau, née Dumas, who was Joseph's wife. It grew considerably through the years, with the miners employed by the city's copper mines often patronizing the establishment. After several changes of the "madams" and continuing pressure from authorities, the brothel closed in 1982, described as "a rare, intact commentary on social history". At the time of its closure, it was the longest operating brothel in the United States, having operated years after prostitution was made illegal. After closing, the brothel changed hands several times, eventually becoming a tourist attraction owned and managed by a series of Butte residents.

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2015.