From illuminating scraps of history, stories abound that add dimension to the roots of our river community. The good and celebrated, the bad and appalling, and the ugly and unspoken are all part of a shared identity. In the early 19th century the Mississippi River was emblematic of opportunity. Shortly after Illinois became a state in and the Military Tract bounty land became available, John Wood and Willard Keyes bought land in what they deemed a perfect spot on the Mississippi. Within a few years the riverfront bustled with passengers, porters, tradesmen and speculators.
The waterfront also became an intriguing blend of those with purposeful pursuits and carousing folks who hung out by day and night.
Steamboats and Burlington railroad depot erected in brought to Front Street a spirited mix of entertainment and river business. Early settlers of great energy and enterprise sought to build a thriving community and a better life. Alongside these forces seedy indulgences prevailed. Social gathering establishments grew and prospered. Disguised by front rooms, front people and a lively burlesque nightlife, riverside bordellos generated a booming river culture.
From the beginning of municipal government the red light district was legalized by the city council. Eight years earlier James R. The term white slavery described predicaments vulnerable females faced. The Mann Act also was used to prosecute men who took women across state lines for consensual sex.
In public spirited citizens wanted change. Hyatt called upon Mayor J. Thompson and Chief of Police Louis N. Melton to enforce the state and city laws against prostitution.
