The year is 1893. The location: Chicago. This is the White City. But guess what? When you're running a World's Fair that attracts hundreds of thousands of people every single day, you're going to run across people who have needs that simply cannot be satisfied by riding on the first Ferris Wheel ever displayed. And that is where red-light districts come in handy.
One of the most extensive ones in Chicago history was called The Levee, which was located at the corner of Cermak and Michigan. The Levee was opened up in 1893, covered more than 20 square blocks, and included cocaine parlors, 15 gambling halls, 56 pool rooms, 500 saloons, and of course, 500 whorehouses. And the main man in charge of The Levee? Why that was none other than the Honorable Michael Kenna, 1st Ward Alderman. (Come on guys, this is Chicago. Does any of this really surprise you anymore?)
Of the hundreds upon hundreds of whorehouses in The Levee, the most famous one had to be The Everleigh Club, which opened in February of 1900. The establishment, which was run by two sisters, was pretty much a turn of the century version of The Playboy Club, except in this case the pretty girls sold sex instead of cigarettes. The atmosphere was very suave, debonair, and classy. If you wanted to buy a meal there, it was gonna set you back Fifty bucks. That's not too bad, until you realize that this is 1900 money we're dealing in. Take that same deal in 2013 dollars, and we're talking approximately $1,300. Still hungry?
All expenses aside, the club did have its share of infamous moments, like the time in 1902 when Prussia's Prince Henry came by the club. The owners pulled out all the stops to please him, and during a show one of their girls lost a shoe, which flew over to where the Prince's entourage was sitting and knocked over a glass of champagne. When somebody drank the champagne, the tradition of drinking champagne from the shoe of a woman was born. Over 3 years later, the son of Marshall Field patronized the club, and was rewarded with a fatal gunshot--which was rumored to be delivered by none other than by one of the working girls at the club.
In 1910, there was a report put together that noted there were over 600 brothels in the city. In response to this, Mayor Carter Harrison Jr. ordered the club to be closed. This edict was carried out on October 24, 1911. But don't feel too bad for the proprietors. The two sisters who owned the joint walked away with $1 Million(which is actually over $24 Million in 2013 Money), toured Europe, and then resettled in New York City. As for the District as a whole, the place held on for a few more years, but ultimately that too closed by 1930.
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