The Badly Behaved Women Who Made New Orleans Tour

The Badly Behaved Women Who Made New Orleans Tour offers a captivating glimpse into the city’s provocative past. Visitors explore the infamous Storyville district, uncovering the stories of notorious madams who wielded power and influence through their lavish brothels. These bold women defied societal norms, making their mark on New Orleans’ cultural landscape. The tour not only examines the allure and decadence of their world but also delves into the complex legacy of liberation and exploitation that shaped the city’s history.

Key Points

• The tour explores the vibrant and notorious history of the Storyville red-light district, a regulated pleasure zone that thrived in late 19th-century New Orleans.

• Visitors learn about the powerful madams who challenged social norms, flaunted their wealth, and wielded significant influence over politicians and law enforcement.

• The tour highlights the legacy of May Baily’s Place, one of the first legal brothels in New Orleans, catering to a wealthy clientele with its opulent decor.

• The French Market, originally a marketplace, evolved into a gathering place for the city’s underworld, with tales of pickpockets, gamblers, and unsavory characters.

• The tour showcases how New Orleans’ dark past has been transformed into a popular tourist destination, shedding light on the city’s precarious history.

A Notorious Past

Although New Orleans has long been known for its vibrant culture and lively spirit, the city’s history also includes a notorious past.

In the 1700s, the French authorities began sending women to New Orleans for "correction" – establishing a pleasure district that would become infamous over the centuries. These "naughty" women formed the foundation of Storyville, the notorious red-light district that thrived until its closure in 1917.

Madams flaunted their wealth, operating lavish "palaces of sin" that catered to all manner of desires. This dark chapter in New Orleans’ history has become the focus of a popular tour.

The Pleasure District of Storyville

The pleasure district of Storyville emerged from the infamous past of New Orleans. In the late 1800s, a red-light district was established to regulate the sex trade.

Storyville’s palaces of sin housed a thriving underworld, where madams flaunted their wealth. These "naughty women" defied social norms, challenging the patriarchal structure. The district became a hub for jazz music, attracting musicians and visitors alike.

Yet, Storyville’s legacy remains complex – a symbol of both liberation and exploitation. Today, the area’s history is preserved, offering a glimpse into New Orleans’ provocative past.

Flaunting Wealth and Power

As the pleasure district of Storyville flourished, the madams who ran its palaces of sin flaunted their wealth and power with unabashed opulence.

They adorned themselves in the finest jewels and furs, hosted lavish parties, and built grand brothels that rivaled the grandest homes in the city.

These powerful women wielded significant influence, manipulating politicians and law enforcement to protect their lucrative businesses.

Their extravagant displays of affluence and status symbolized the unchecked dominance they’d achieved in this notorious red-light district, where morality was secondary to the pursuit of pleasure and profit.

Exploring the French Market

From the opulent palaces of sin in Storyville, the "Badly Behaved Women of New Orleans Tour" now turns its focus to the French Market, a locale with a notorious history of its own.

Once a hub for danger and debauchery, the French Market was known for its seedier underbelly. Visitors will learn how this marketplace, originally established by the French, evolved into a gathering place for the city’s underworld.

Tales of pickpockets, gamblers, and other unsavory characters paint a vivid picture of the French Market’s precarious past before its transformation into a tourist destination.

The Significance of the Golden Lantern

One of the key stops on the "Badly Behaved Women of New Orleans Tour" is the iconic Golden Lantern.

This historic bar has played a significant role in the city’s LGBTQ+ community, hosting the annual Southern Decadence festival since the 1970s.

The Golden Lantern’s flamboyant history dates back to its origins as a popular gathering spot for the city’s queer population during a time when homosexuality was still stigmatized.

Today, the bar stands as a symbol of LGBTQ+ resilience and celebrates New Orleans’ vibrant and inclusive culture, making it an essential part of the tour’s exploration of the city’s naughty past.

May Baily’s Place: A Pioneering Brothel

May Baily’s Place was the first legal brothel in New Orleans, playing a pivotal role in the city’s notorious red-light district.

Established in the late 19th century, the brothel catered to a wealthy clientele, with Baily herself flaunting her affluence.

The brothel’s opulent decor and Baily’s celebrity status as a madam attracted patrons seeking a glimpse of the city’s illicit underbelly.

Though prostitution was technically illegal, May Baily’s Place operated openly, emblematic of New Orleans’ permissive attitude toward vice.

May Baily’s Place operated openly, emblematic of New Orleans’ permissive attitude toward vice, despite prostitution being technically illegal.

The brothel remained in business until the early 20th century, when the city’s infamous Storyville district was shuttered.

Indulging in Historic Cocktails

Though cocktails aren’t included in the tour, the guide provides recommendations for historic libations that would have been popular during the city’s golden age of vice.

Travelers can imbibe iconic New Orleans drinks like Sazerac, a rye whiskey-based cocktail dating back to the 1800s, or the Vieux Carré, a complex blend of rye, cognac, and sweet vermouth.

These classic cocktails offer a taste of the city’s past, when Storyville’s lavish parlors and bordellos hosted a vibrant nightlife scene.

Sipping on a period-appropriate drink allows participants to more fully enjoy the naughty history of old New Orleans.

Ending the Tour in Louis Armstrong Park

As the tour draws to a close, the group makes its way to Louis Armstrong Park, a fitting end to the exploration of New Orleans’ naughty history.

This celebrated public space pays tribute to the jazz legend, a symbol of the city’s vibrant cultural heritage. The tour concludes here, allowing participants to:

• Reflect on the revelations shared about the city’s past

• Appreciate the park’s lush greenery and public art installations

• Envision the echoes of jazz music that once filled the air

• Observe the contrast between the park’s serenity and the vice-filled tales from the tour.

The Sum Up

The Badly Behaved Women Who Made New Orleans Tour offers a captivating glimpse into the city’s provocative past. Visitors explore the notorious Storyville district, learning about the influential madams who defied societal norms and operated lavish brothels. This immersive experience examines the complex legacy of liberation and exploitation, shedding light on a pivotal chapter in New Orleans’ history.