Red Light Districts of Tucson

Long after other parts of Arizona had outlawed prostitution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Tucson maintained its red-light districts, Maiden Lane and Gay Alley. However, amid growing moral and religious backlash, sex workers were among the most marginalized. Many women turned to sex work because of poverty, abandonment, or social scandal, and were further stigmatized by prevailing racial and gender biases.

This book is the first comprehensive history of Tucson’s red light districts and the women who worked in them. Using a variety of primary sources including court documents, police records, census data, and period newspapers, the author examines the relationship between moral and political movements and the women of the red-light districts themselves, offering a uniquely thorough look at how Tucson’s history reflects broader social and cultural dynamics of the American West at the turn of the 20th century.

Author Biography

David Grassé is an assistant library director in Payson, Arizona. He has previously published three books and numerous articles about Arizona Territorial history as well as several journal and newspaper articles about the Old West.