Lectures on Tap- "19th-Century Madams: Saloons, Brothels, & the Wild West"

Join us for an engaging evening where professors, experts, and storytellers bring their thought-provoking lectures to your favorite bar in Boston!

Hosted by the Lectures on Tap team.

🗓️ Date: August 20th, 2025

🕡 Time: 6:30 PM

📍 Location: Central Square, Cambridge MA (exact address provided in confirmation email)

📚 Lecture: "19th-Century Madams: Saloons, Brothels, and the Wild West"

🎤 Speaker: PhD Candidate, Siriana Lundgren

In this eye-opening lecture, Siriana Lundgren delves into the world of 19th-century madams who defied societal norms and thrived in the Wild West. Often labeled “the most infamous of all hags” by newspapers of the time, these women, including the wealthy Josephine “Chicago Joe” Hensely, ran saloons and brothels that were integral to the town's economic and social life.

Using six years of archival research, Siriana will explore the complexities of these women's lives, the businesses they ran, and their infamous feud with Nellie Keefe, captain of the local Salvation Army. This battle over morality and music captures a fascinating struggle for voices and influence in frontier towns.

Siriana Lundgren is a PhD candidate in historical musicology and American studies at Harvard University. Her research focuses on the lives of sex workers, madams, and musicians in 19th-century Western boomtowns, highlighting their significant contributions to American history and culture.

Don’t miss this chance to hear about the powerful women who shaped the Wild West!

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

Event Venue

Central Square, Central Square, Cambridge, United States