Ida Dorsey

Ida Dorsey
Born
Ida Mary Callahan

c. (1866-03-07)March 7, 1866
Woodford County, Kentucky, US
DiedJune 18, 1918(1918-06-18) (aged 52)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Resting placeLakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis
Other namesIda Dorsey, Ida Burkes, Ida Pillsbury
OccupationBrothel owner
Years active1885 to c.1918
Known forbuilt and owned last standing brothel in Minneapolis

Ida Mary Dorsey (née Callahan; c. March 7, 1866 – June 18, 1918),[1][2] also known as Ida Burkes and Ida Pillsbury, was an American madam who operated five successive houses of prostitution in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dorsey's life came into focus when Penny Petersen published Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront in 2013.[3]

Part African-American, Dorsey catered only to whites and was among the city's most prominent and successful madams.[1] The brothel she built at 212 Eleventh Avenue South is the only one still standing from Minneapolis' three red-light districts (c. 1870s – 1910).[3] Dorsey is also remembered for her long-term friendship with Carleton Pillsbury, scion of the Pillsbury family.[3]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference p85 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Death in "Dorsey, Ida Mary". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved February 18, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Huntzicker was invoked but never defined (see the help page).