Dumas Brothel

The Dumas Brothel (formerly the Dumas Hotel) was a famous bordello in Butte, Montana in the United States. Located in the heart of uptown Butte, the brothel has been proclaimed America’s longest running house of prostitution. In fact, the Dumas (pronounced doo-muhs) operated legally as such from 1890 until 1982 and was the largest, grandest and most widely known bordello among many located in Butte’s thriving red-light district. The building is one of many Butte edifices listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a testament to its lasting historical and cultural significance.

A vast wealth of copper and other metals was extracted from the Butte Hill, giving the town its appropriate and proud title, “The Richest Hill on Earth”. The miners of Butte and others of all classes frequented both the saloons and brothels after a hard day or night of work. The motto of “Work hard, live hard, and die hard” rang true in Butte, and the Dumas helped the men of Butte live up to its motto. In its first half-century, 1890–1942, the Dumas used all 43 of its rooms. Since miners worked round the clock so, too, did the staff of the brothel; during busy times, weekends and paydays, the brothel ran three shifts of girls.