Exploring Deadwood's Hidden Past Inside a Real Brothel 

"Special rates for Politicians and Lawmen." Some things never change!

Only Mr. Hicks can talk about such a dark subject with a cute dog cuddled under his arm and it seems normal! LOL Great video!

No pissing in the cuspidors. That is priceless.

You seem to always bring something special to your presentations as this one and your humanity stands out always. Over time watching I realize just how much you’ve seen of life and I especially find your ability to make medieval life clear and comprehensible invaluable. Thanks

When I was growing up my mother would constantly remind me, judge not lest ye be judged and she was full of antidotes like I cried because I had no shoes then I met a man who had no feet and her favorite there but for the grace of God go I. We never know what someone is going through which finds them in place not of their choosing. I try to remember and live a less judgmental life as I can. Thank you Kevin for always showing human compassion.

The sign said "Beat it, we're closed" dying laughing

Well. When I woke up this morning I didn't realise I was going to be visiting a brothel. All the same, that was quite satisfying.

We had similar 'establishments' in mountainous northern Idaho state mining country in the town of Wallace. Maybe a half dozen premises operated from 1895 to 1988. The madams were said to be kind-hearted people who funneled their profits to buy police cars, sports equipment for kids, and other community upgrades. Today, there is a bordello museum named the Oasis that is amazingly similar to what you showed in Deadwood. Very interesting presentation ... with well-researched bits of info here and there to delight the audience. Thank you!

Very interesting. Thank you for pointing out that not all prostitution is the same, sometimes it's brutal abusive exploitation, but sometimes it's entirely voluntary like any other job.

As an American who grew up in the West and lover of Western history and English history, I love this series. You are a fantastic presenter sir.

Thanks for teaching this in a very professional way. Some parts of history are very difficult to teach because of the subject matter but you actually made it fun and not awkward.

Another fascinating video insight into history Kevin, once again you take what many may consider a taboo subject and present it in a very well considered way, you sir are a fantastic historian and I thank you for your efforts.

The brothels in Germany were a bit of an eye opener to a young British Squaddie newly posted in. For a start, the Germans call a brothel a "Poof", which always raised an eyebrow. There would always be a bar, with drinks at three times the usual rate, and when enough beers had been drunk, a girl would lead the wide-eyed newcomer off through a door or curtain.

Kevin is freaking awesome! Been watching for a couple months now. Every video is better than the last. Thank you, Kevin!!!

Very delicately given. Informative and respectful to the “doves”.

Hi Kevin, every weeks topic is something new, extremely interesting and always expertly presented in a personalized way. Excellent work by you and Julie. Great to see Rupert supervising :) . Thankyou.

Fascinating, follow everything you do. I was a young sailor in the RN. I saw the kettle markets and met a few Enhlish girls there. I grew up very fast in 1978. Love History and the way you explain everything

🎉🎉 You know it’s going to be a good day when it starts with a new Film from the Amazing Mr. Kevin Hicks! Ol’ Kevin is truly a World Treasure!! Edit: Spelling

Hi Kevin. Never talk bad about this ladies. I was at the age of 43 and never had a woman before. That's live... Then i went to such a house before it's too late... She was a black one she was very kind and polite. Of course she recognised that it was my first time...but she did not let me feel anything. I have great respect to this woman. I will never forget her. 3 days later i met my wive and we were together fo 13 years. I wold never had the courage to speak to her without this woman....

You presented this in a brilliant way , difficult subject . But history tells the true story , well done Kev beautifully filmed too . Love the pup too .

I just absolutely love the excited golden retriever energy mr Hicks brings to history, keep it up sir!

Fascinating! We don't get a lot of these kinds of videos, the uncensored and often brutal reality of the sex business from history long ago. I love your channel, you make the best historical content with often tragedies of the individuals being highlighted in the wars, crime, etc. I have a lot of respect for the life you've had, and I think that is why you see the reality of going through tough times as a human being ,and tell it to us so accurate, in my opinion. I hope you continue making such excellent content like this forever 😊 Cheers from Norway.✌

Love how a doggo just appears in your arms outta nowhere mid story 😅

You tell the story well! It's good that this museum exists. The stigma against sex work and sex workers means most brothels are long-gone, hushed away, or forgotten about. Interestingly despite being considered the oldest profession there don't seem to be many working brothels over 120 years old, though some ancient ones were in use for multiple centuries.

What a refreshing, non-judgmental way to view humanity. Many will judge these women but there are women who were empowered and those who were victims.

I was in Deadwood years ago and took this tour , very interesting . Great video , Kevin !

Thank you so much I found this extremely interesting it’s such a fascinating insight into the history of a brothel and the girls who have worked there..very professional way of teaching us about such history as always an amazing storyteller and very respectful…love your channel and keep up the wonderful work thank you so much for your knowledge and understanding and teachings of history over the spectrum 😊❤ X

"Special rates for POLITICIANS and LAWMEN" 🤣🤣🤣 Well done, Mr. Hicks. Well done. 👍

Beat it we're closed made me smile.

Very interesting and respectively delivered Kevin! History is History the good, the bad and the ugly, it's important to remember all aspects, I also LOVE how you include your own personal experiences, you have so far lived a very full and interesting life, sending love to you, Julie and Rupert xxx 🤗👏💜🙏

fantastic as always Kevin. you make my day every time :)

I appreciate the comparison between the Gem and the other place where you were showing us around. I like the character of Al Swearingen in the TV show but I knew that the real person was terrible and lured women there with ads for other things, then forcing them into prostitution once they were there. But I never thought about the children! I saw a studio photograph online for sale once of a little girl in Deadwood in the 1890s. Imagine growing up in a town like that! Thanks for the great video!

Thank You for another great video Mr Hicks , yeah !!!

Another great Vid Kev. You need your own show on telly. I watch documenterys and history shows all the time but your you tube channel is by far the best! Keep up the good work Mate.

Great historical video, I look forward to your next ones!

Having been stationed in Germany with the US Army one of the first things we were told was that prostitution was legal, regulated, and taxed by the German government. Just going and getting it over with was better (and way cheaper) than falling for the bar flies that could spot someone new and drain them of their pay buying 'drinks' (usually worked out with the owner of the bar) and being all flirty giving the young GI the misconception that they'd 'score' with them. Usually the night would be over, you had no more money, and the girls were gone. You were broke but hopefully a little wiser. We could wear our civilian clothes but our regulation haircuts and ballcaps made us stick out like glowsticks.

Thank you, Kevin . . . you present fascinating topics in each of your videos! It is always a joy to see that you have posted another one! By the bye, what is your charming dog's name? 🐕

A delightful tour. Thank you Kevin.

I love your delivery of history, and how you throw in personal stories! It's like sitting around the family table listening to my parents or uncle's stories.

Hi Kevin! I once worked as a photographer in Fort Worth, Texas. The man I worked for came from a long line of photographers who had been documenting the Fort Worth area since around 1900. Some of the photos I saw from Hell's Half Acre, the red light district on the south end of town, included pictures of prostitutes from the brothels. While there were a few comley ladies, many were downright ugly. I don't know if they got the same pay as the more attractive girls or not, but I'd have to be pretty drunk to avail myself of their services! I knew a beautiful young lady who was going to university on an ROTC scholarship. While not a prostitute, to make extra money, she worked as a stripper on weekends over in Dallas. On Friday and Saturday evenings, she could make $1,200 to $1,500. And that's just from dancing! God she was beautiful, and smart too! Upon graduation, she was commissioned a lieutenant in the Army and made the rank of Captain before she finished her service commitment 3 years later. She met another servicemen while in the Army and they were married in my backyard, back in the late 90s. Thanks for the tour, Kevin!

Thank you Sir, your videos are all very informative and you Sir are a great and experienced story teller . 👍

Just discovered this channel and may I say it’s been great! Love how engaging the videos are! I’m hooked the entire time. My boyfriend has been more interested in learning history as well! Thank you 🙏

I just want to say that I really love your videos. The topics are very interesting, but more than anything, you are a FANTASTIC storyteller! Happy Holidays, to you and yours! ❤

As someone with what sounds like a similar career arc, i am always amazed at the humanity and inhumanity you find in the underbelly of society.

Excellent content as always!! . , I really enjoyed this since I've been a American Civil War and Old West history geek as long as I can remember . One of the names on the girls payment box is my wife's who was born on August 2nd the same day that James Butler ( Wild Bill ) Hickock was killed in Deadwood , South Dakota . Keep up the great work and 👍👍 from Baltimore , Maryland 🤠

Thank you for not shying away from the hard parts of this topic.

Thank you Mr. Hicks for the great video about this subject!

That was fascinating, thank you Mr Hicks. I especially enjoyed the Berlin anacdotes.

Another great video, thank you Kevin ❤👌

Really enjoyed this video very interesting ,a great video.😊

I live North of Deadwood about 8 miles... Quite a history... Great work.

Fantastic video. Respectfully made. 😊 Thank You! 😊

Great video, as you have gotten us used to. And a very interesting subject as well. Please don't shy away from the most violent or dirty topics of history, as it is in fact a very important part to understand why current society is the way it is. I think that younger viewers should be confronted with this information so they can start question what motivates (or forces) women to engage in prostitution. And also, that tidbit about Peter Pan was really funny and elucidating. No wonder I always found the character creepy... Thank you for the video. Always great!

Thank you for all the knowledge and entertainment .

Thank you for covering this topic!

Good start, love the sign on the door ' Beat It, we're closed ' LMAO.

I stumbled across your videos and now I’m hooked! Thank you for the great content sir!

Another well presented topic. And very informative glimpse into the lives of people in Berlin. Thank you 😊

Hey Kevin. Very interesting you learn something new. I'm glad some of the ladies were looked after. Thank you for the video. Xxx 🌹🌹🌹

Brother Kevin, thanks for another enjoyable tale.

As a post script to my comment below, I worked in Deadwood in the 1990s as a Child abuse investigator and spent six years in that occupation. I found it ironic that the state had closed the brothels and then passed state laws allowing gambling in Deadwood. Prior to gaming deadwood had been a sleepy, historic town with a wonderful charm and charter, with a number of interesting characters abs shops. All of which were put out of business when gaming became an industry in Deadwood. What followed was a rapid rise in crime, drug abuse and related social problems like child abuse and neglect as people were lured to the area by gaming jobs, bringing with them problems and addictions that didn’t exist in significant numbers in Deadwood prior to gambling. By the time I left the job were were only able to investigate about 20% of the total reported abuse and neglect situations as the number of reports and substantiated investigations had exploded. Gaming brought a great deal of money into the state, but almost none of it filtered back down to the local law enforcement and other agencies forced to deal with the problems gaming brought. I’ve always suspected the state’s motivation in closing the brothels was done with a long term plan of making Deadwood look more acceptable for investors and regulatory agencies whose support would be required to bring gaming to Deadwood.

You little scamp! Charged them extra for the show! I hooted out loud on that one!

Another great episode, thanks Kevin

I love this video! I live about 30 minutes away from Deadwood, it is an awesome place.

Great job Mr hicks can't wait to see what's next.

Great stories. I'm really enjoying your channel. Thank you for posting.

Thanks for the tour and your tales from life. Cheers.

This was very interesting indeed, i do really enjoy your videos. Gorgeous pup too

What a great channel - Kevin, you have a nose for interesting stories - I am binge watching, planning to turn in for the night, after watching 'Just one more video', and another....Thanks for all the work you've put in.

Really enjoying the uploads about the American West. You have me hooked. More of these please.

Great episode Sir

Great and informative video. Thanks 😊

I too will now never be able to look at Peter Pan the same way again. Thanks Kevin, great video. Was chatting to some of my mates in the pub a while back about people we'd like to get as a guest speaker at one of the charity events we put on. Obviously Gazza is everyone's first pick (Despite the 10K fee!) but the more we talked I thought about how you'd make a fantastic speaker on the circuit!

When you said it opened in 1903, I thought "that's pretty late" and when you said it was open until the 80's I was.....agast....lol. I had thought working girls had just used regular hotels by then. Your videos always teach so much

kevin, thank you for your service in the deadwood brothel & also berlin you've had such a wonderful & varied career

Amazing as always

I did enjoy this vid, but I have enjoyed watching all your vids, you are a great history teacher, and I love your little dog.

Great job and fascinating look into American history. Thanks.

Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thanks for another important video on the lesser known subject of our history. I apologize for the long pauses in my comments, I am sporadically, " displaced " please keep the good stuff coming, I am as usual, a big fan of your channel, best regards, Arthur

I was there in 1990…. The 50th Sturgis Rally! I had the time of my life and memories in Deadwood that I will never forget. Fantastic💛💜💛👍🏽

Love that the locals helped the girls to get away.

Oh what wonders that dog has seen in its life with Master Hicks. A world traveler is he. 😘 This was a fascinating video!!

Thank you, Mr. Hicks! Very interesting.

I grew up in western South Dakota and I’ve been particularly interested in your coverage of Deadwood. I recall when Pam’s Purple Door was closed in 1980. It was by news in the state. What isn’t widely known is that the pressure to close it came from the FBI and state DCI. The locals as a general rule were upset at the interference with a local institution that was seen as having a number of positive impacts. The use of the employment and earning potential there was often a means to earn the funds required to advance to more socially acceptable education or business pursuits was covered in the video. However the enterprise was also viewed as a plus by some of the older wives in the community who saw it as providing a service to their husbands that they then did not have to provide. There were also concerned when it closed that hunters coming to the area for the deer season would for lack of other outlets would be hitting on the local wives and daughters. There was a great deal of local opposition to closing it. It was in a very real sense a tradition that many people were sorry to see pass into history.

Very interesting. Love our guide! Keep up the good work.

Another great video from the best storyteller.

Great bit of history. I agree Peter Pan will never be viewed the same again. Cheers

Back in 1970 there was one in Waynesville, near Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The ladies walked about scantily clad while we drank and played pool. They enticed you to tiny trailers in a parking lot behind the bar. Not my style so I took a pass. One guy I knew had to visit the army doctors after a tryst in a trailer.

That was very interesting thanks for the history🎉🎉❤

How interesting! Thank you very much for the video ❤

Brilliant work as always 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Great info and presentation

Wow, you brought a lot of stories with you from your trip. And mixing them with your experiences from the germany of my childhood makes it even more interesting. This is a more sad part of life on the frontier, but, my personal opinion, if the girls did it voluntarily, this is also something that may have stopped some of those lonely men to do something to women or girls that we do not want to talk about. It is called the oldest business in this world, and it is not good at all. But sometimes necessary to prevent things happening that are even worse. As always, many thanks for telling the story. This kind of insights I haven't had before.

Hey! Really great video! Ive never seen the inside of an old brothel. Was very well done and very informative.. You seem like an interesting chap. Take care!

What a great discovery. Subscribed. Cheers.

Wow, well presented of a difficult subject.

I love this history Channel I'm learning a lot

Hello Kevin just getting ready to tune into this so much fascinating history with deadwood

Great piece!

That was interesting! And your doggie is just so adorable. ❤