City of Angels, City of Sin: Archaeology in the Los Angeles Red-Light District ca. 1900

In June 1996, archaeological excavations at the Union Station in downtown Los Angeles uncovered a portion of the city's former red-light district. The district thrived from the 1870s until a reform government closed it down in 1909. A six-seat privy complex associated with a parlor house (ca. 1880-1901), densely filled with household items, provides insight into life behind the red lights. Domestic deposits from the prostitutes' neighbors were also recovered, providing comparative collections. Artifact deposits were evaluated in the field to ensure that only those collections with integrity and clear historic associations were brought back to the lab for analysis. Documentary research focused on identifying features associated with specific brothels and households. Artifacts were tabulated using minimum number of item counts, and frequency tables were developed for making meaningful comparisons. Noteworthy contrasts between the prostitutes and their neighbors are found in activities related to the consumption of alcohol and food and to grooming and health.