Comparative Analysis of Food Production, Waste, and Socioeconomic Dynamics in Red Light Districts and Brothel Sites across Three Port Cities during the American Industrial Revolution

Summary

This is an abstract from the "*SE New Orleans and Its Environs: Historical Archaeology and Environmental Precarity" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In this paper, I present a comparative analysis of brothel sites and red-light districts in three major port cities during or around the period of the American Industrial Revolution. With a focus on Storyville in New Orleans, Louisiana, I will use Five Points in Manhattan, New York, and Hell's Half Acre in Los Angeles, California as sites for comparison. This analysis examines faunal data to provide insight into food production, waste, economic factors, and socioeconomic dimensions at these sites. The selection of these three cities as case studies is motivated by their geographical locations as bustling port cities. This allows for an examination of the transportation networks of food commodities within the United States and from international sources through these port facilities. Utilizing a comparative approach, this analysis seeks to discern commonalities and distinctive characteristics among these red-light districts situated in diverse locales. In particular, I aim to uncover the relationships between urban sex trade, food consumption, and broader societal contexts. In addition to highlighting food distribution and sourcing and the potential implications of racial prejudice on food waste practices, this research also seeks to illuminate the resilience, adaptability, and perseverance of sex workers in the face of challenging circumstances.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• *SE New Orleans and Its Environs: Historical Archaeology and Environmental Precarity   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39315.0