Madams of DC Walking Tour

This walking tour will introduce you to some of the most notorious women of mid-19th Century DC. Washington experienced an unprecedented rise in prostitution during and after the Civil War. During this period, Pennsylvania Avenue became DC's most notorious red light district, from the ramshackle "boarding houses" of Murder Bay to the glamorous pleasure houses of Marble Alley, all within sight of the Capitol. Also, a new profession for women was rising, that of the "female lobbyist." 

The route starts at the Willard Intercontinental and travels down Pennsylvania Avenue, the main thoroughfare along which DC's red light district arose. There is a half-way stop at Hill Country BBQ for a bathroom break and refreshments. Tour ends at the National Museum of the American Indian. The tour runs approximately 2 - 2.5 hours.