Lectures on Tap - 19th-Century Madams: Saloons, Brothels, and the Wild West

Join us for an engaging evening where professors, experts, and storytellers bring their thought-provoking lectures to your favorite bar in Somerville, MA!

Hosted by the Lectures on Tap team.

🗓️ Date: November 20th, 2025

🕡 Time: 6:30 PM

📍 Location: Somerville, MA (exact address given in confirmation email)

📚 Lecture: “19th-Century Madams: Saloons, Brothels, and the Wild West”

🎤 Speaker: Siriana Lundgren, Ph.D. Candidate

In the boomtowns of the 19th-century American West, madams were much more than brothel owners; they were influential figures—landlords, employers, cultural tastemakers, and political agents. This lecture dives into the world of frontier madams through the captivating story of Josephine “Chicago Joe” Hensley, once a sweatshop worker who became the wealthiest woman in Helena, Montana.

Through six years of archival and archaeological research, Siriana Lundgren will reveal how Joe built her red-light empire and strategically wielded sound to assert her power. From courtroom battles regarding “hurdy-gurdy” houses to turf wars involving noise and music, Chicago Joe’s story demonstrates how performance became a tool in larger struggles over gender, morality, and space.

Join us for a journey that will challenge your perceptions of the Wild West and highlight the impactful voices of its women.

Come for the burlesque, stay for the surprising history of noise ordinances!

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Felecia For The Win