Marley Makes 3: 2024.03.12 Goldfield Goldmine Ghost Town

We spent the day here wandering around and taking the tours. We ate burgers and ice cream and did a little people watching too. While we were eating outside a couple came with a do that looked just like Olive (Jessica and Cashton's furbaby) and was just as friendly too!

Bought these earrings from Navajo Rocky Little. He made these and all the other jewelry in his little shop. They are copper, silver and the little stone is jasper.

These commandments all make sense!

Enough said.

There's a beautiful view of the Superstition Mountains from the town!

We thoroughly enjoyed the day!

Waiting to tour the Bordello!

A view from the top of the Bordello staircase.

There is/was a hierarchy in the “Personal Services” industry.

A Bordello is run by a Madame- This organization caters to the wealthiest patrons and is so discreet that there may be tunnels leading to and from the fancy, decorated building. Patrons are scrubbed with a mixture of alcohol such as whiskey and water before being serviced. It’s not only a disinfectant but if they flinch, it means they have sores or disease and since venereal disease was rampant, this was necessary to keep the men and the ladies disease free for the clientele.

Next in the hierarchy, a Brothel was run by a Gentleman

A Crib is a row of one or two room shacks usually behind the main street where the lower income men could send their coin.

Street Women

Alleyway Quickie

The parlor where the ladies would greet their customers.

Men purchased coins for the type of service they wanted.

FAT ANNS SALOON-GOOD FOR ONE SCREW-CARSON CITY NEV

SLIMS PALACE-COLD BEER-HOT LADIES-ONE SCREW-SAN FRANCISCO

HONEST WALTS SALOON-GOOD FOR ONE DOLAR IN TRADE-GIRLS-WHISKEY-TOBACCO-TOMBSTONE ARIZONA TERRITORY

GEM SALOON-A PRIZE FOR THE BIGGEST COCK-TOMBSTONE ARIZONA TERR

“TO SHOW I NEED YOU”- ANYWAY ANYDAY-GIRLS FROM 5 DOLLARS TO 50 DOLLARS-CONTACT BAR TENDER-LONG BRANCH SALOON-DODGE CITY KANSAS

GOOD FOR ALL NIGHT

ALL NIGHT $3 CHECK

THE CHINA DOLL-10 CENTS LOOKIE-25 CENTS FEELIE-50 CENTS DOOIE-SAN FRANCISCO

SHADY MILTS SILK GARTER-BROTHEL-CASINO-FOOD-WHISKEY-GIRLS-VIRGINIA CITY

THE OCTOROON-MADAME BOLANGER-YOU WILL RECEIVE SPORT ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A YEAR TO COME-LOS ANGELES

STELLAS SALOON-BEST SCREW IN TOWN-VIRGINIA CITY NEV

One of the "service" rooms.

Some women bound their feet into children’s shoes and had their bottom rib removed so they could sinch the corset tighter to be more attractive.

Women were between 160 and 300 pounds. Skinny women meant they were sickly. Plump means wealth and healthy.

This is the Madame's room. Her room was twice as big as the others. The tub was filled with water and alcohol. Men were required to bathe before service. The same water was used all night so you can imagine what the last one got! Yuck!

The story with the shot glass is that back in the day, a a man didn't have coin to purchase his drink, but he had a bullet, the barkeep measured the amount of booze in the glass by placing a bullet inside and filled the glass to the top of the bullet. Likewise a double shot would be the estimated depth of two bullets. The bartender kept the bullet as payment.

The parlor, a couple service rooms and Madame's rooms were up the spiral staircase. Back in the days of operation, the lower level was all service rooms. Today the lower level is an old time photography business.

According to our tour guide the majority of women that worked in these venues were due to something catastrophic happening to their male partner like dying in the mine and this was the only way for them to earn money to survive. The madame kept about 70% of the earnings from each woman and they were allowed to keep the remaining amount for themselves.

We toured the entire town including the Gold Mine, the Train that toured around the entire town and the Mystery Room.

Getting ready for the mine tour!

These rock drills ran off steam and could get very hot, the operator had to be very careful if the hose blew because it would cause severe burns!

Our tour guide.

This board is showing the different blasting caps that were used.

This is an example of the drill patterns and loads for blasting inside the mine.

Tools of the trade.

There were no nails or screws in any of the shoring in the mines, the wood is all from Payson, AZ.

Examples of the ore from the mine.

This is a replica of what the mine would have looked like prior to installing shoring.

These are some of the tools used on the train cars that hauled minerals from the mines.

All aboard!!

The train operator was very informative and entertaining!

There are several mines in this vicinity.

A view of the town from the rail.

One of the hikes I did with the hiking group was about halfway to the flat iron on top. It's a really steep climb to get to the top!

I could hardly stand walking up to this building much less walking inside it. I had to keep y eyes down and hang on.

The mystery shack is build on 45 degree angles and actually makes you feel queasy standing in there. This "volunteer" tourist is actually standing vertical so you can get an idea of how skewed the buildings are to reality!

This is the inside of the jailhouse.

After a long day of touring we decided to have an ice cream treat. They have a flavor that is called "Dynamite Crunch" (caramel and pecans in vanilla ice cream) that is made exclusively to be sold here and it was delicious! The waffle cones were made right there in front of us in what looked like a waffle iron. Smelled so good! My scoop was Dynamite Crunch on the bottom and rocky road on top! It was a two scoop day!