Madams of DC Walking Tour

based on 63 reviews

Duration:2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Location: Washington DC, USA

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YOUTH (Age : 14 to 17)

ADULT (Age : 18 to 64)

SENIOR (Age : 65 to 100)

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Upto 24 hours in Advance.

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

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*Starting in March 2024, this tour is offered the first and third Friday of the month. Check website for exact schedule. All tours available for private tours.

The Madams in DC walking tour gives you a totally unique side of DC's history that you won't hear anywhere else. The Civil War completely transformed the capital, and turned Pennsylvania Avenue into a red light district lined with bawdy houses, taverns, theaters, and commercial ventures. Hard to imagine, now that it's lined with monolithic government buildings! You'll learn about how the women who worked in these brothels made their way in life, and even had an impact on affairs of government.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Freedom Plaza
Where Freedom Plaza is now once used to be the notorious neighborhood known as Murder Bay. As we walk through this spacious open area currently used for festivals and music events, you'll hear all about the taverns, gambling houses, and brothels popular with Northern Arm soldiers that used to stand there.
2.
On the block where the Trump International Hotel, formerly the Old Postal Office building, currently stands, was the 11th Street strip, a subsection of the Red Light district on Pennsylvania Avenue where the Military Provost Guard harassed and arrested some of the raucous Madams in the neighborhood.
3. The National Archives Museum
Continuing in our journey through time, you'll learn about the lives of prostitutes in Civil War DC and the part they played in society, as we pass by the former site of the largest central urban Market in DC.
4.
We'll stop for a drink at Hill Country BBQ (*cost of beverage not included), across the street from the International Order of Odd Fellows Temple. The IOOF supported the arts, and the art of having a good time. It was common to see the higher class working girls walking into a grand party hosted by the Odd Fellows, on the arm of an Army Officer. Scandalous!
5. National Gallery of Art
The former site of Marble Alley, where two of DC's highest paid Madams had a vicious rivalry.
6. National Museum of the American Indian
An archeological dig discovered the remains of DC most notorious, and yet charitable, Madams. The tour ends at this, the most glamorous of DC's Civil War-era pleasure houses.

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : juliebZ4747RW
Katie gave a great tour! Her storytelling makes DC history come alive. She’s clearly done her research. The walk is well paced and the midpoint stop gives a nice break for those who may need a breather. This is the fourth tour that I’ve been on and look forward to signing up for my next one.
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Posted On : 2024-04-25 14:44:58

Posted By : Adventurer541472
This tour with Katie really made the city and era of Madams come alive. Katie knows the history well and gave a thorough description of what was happening in each area of the “red light district,” who frequented the brothals, what they wore and even what they ate. Fascinating information and made even more fun by Katie’s personality!
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Posted On : 2024-04-22 15:13:10

Posted By : christinapB3617LH
Katie was a very knowledgeable, friendly, and charismatic tour guide. I loved getting to learn more about DC as a city and spend time exploring away from the National Mall. It expanded my appreciation for our nation's capital. I'm lucky to live nearby and will gladly return to partake in Katie's other tours!
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Posted On : 2024-03-20 09:05:04

Posted By : frankg743
Katie was a fantastic guide!

The 11 of us enjoyed learning about the legal madams and brothels from the 1st to the 3rd class establishments. How government and military played a role in the brothels. The areas and the how they looked prior to 1901.

Very good tour and will definitely be back for another tour.

Thank you for making it a success!
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Posted On : 2023-11-07 13:17:43

Posted By : Greg_E
Wonderful walking trip in DC on a crisp fall evening and heard a history of the area and its colorful history. Highly recommend.
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Posted On : 2023-11-06 21:24:29

Posted By : Paul_S
Loved the history. Guide was very good at describing the photos when she realized my wife was blind.
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Posted On : 2023-10-23 09:55:36

Posted By : Michael_B
It was a great history lesson on the history of DC, how it grew up, and the role the sex trade played. Added a great perspective of another part of the civil war impact in the states, and good visuals of DC in the 1800s. The stories were amazing and well documented. Great experience and highly recommend for a different perspective.
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Posted On : 2023-09-25 16:13:54

Posted By : Kathleen_J
The Madams of DC tour is a unique perspective on the civil war era and survival.
We enjoyed the stories of the Madams and how the industry delineated the quality of the brothels based on location which was also based wealth and influence of the clientele.
After this tour I really feel that the current state of the industry should be criminal. The public’s health would be better served by making the business legal, returning control to the workers and putting Pimps out of business.
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Posted On : 2023-09-02 10:02:57

Posted By : Alina_P
Just experienced the 'Madams of DC' tour by Off the Mall Tours, and I can't recommend it enough! Katie Kirkpatrick, our guide, was absolutely amazing—engaging, knowledgeable, and passionate about D.C.'s hidden history. She took us on a journey through time, revealing how madams, soldiers, and officers were the backbone of D.C.'s economy during the Civil War. With an astonishing 6% of the population in this line of work and 95% of the businesses being women-run, Katie made sure this was more than a tour—it was a revelation. If you're in D.C., this is a must-do.
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Posted On : 2023-09-02 09:18:08

Posted By : Global51150108643
Katie was very knowledgeable and the tour was very informative and fun! Good pace and a well timed break in the middle. Highly recommend!!
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Posted On : 2023-09-01 23:41:32