Unveiling the Legends and Secrets of Prostitution in San Antonio
Prostitution in San Antonio has a long and storied history, dating back to the early 19th century. The first recorded instance of prostitution in the area can be traced as far back as 1810. This thriving industry attracted various visitors from near, far and wide, with notorious houses of ill-repute becoming part of the city’s landscape. The reputation of these establishments endured well into the 1980s, with their legend becoming ingrained in the city’s history.
The period of early statehood in Texas, from 1846 to 1861, is often overshadowed by the Republic of Texas and the Civil War. However, these fifteen years played a critical role in shaping Texas as part of the antebellum South.
The Mexican-American War further influenced Texas, as the dispute over the southwestern boundary between Texas and Mexico led to the involvement of Texans in the conflict. The war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which recognized Texas as part of the United States and confirmed the Rio Grande as its border. By 1861, Texas had become economically, socially, and politically similar to the other Southern states, leading it to join them in secession and war.
San Antonio particularly saw things really heat up in the 1870s when the city’s railroad expansion set off an economic and population boom. From a modest number of 3,488 residents in 1850, the population skyrocketed to over 50,000 residents by 1900.
The establishment of permanent military bases played major a role. It was like a bustling party with soldiers everywhere. Young troops poured into San Antonio, turning Fort Sam Houston into the largest army post in the entire United States. And what do soldiers like to do in their off time? Of course, with all that growth came a demand for certain services, and not just utilities and transportation.
Starting in the early antebellum times all the way to as recent as the 1980’s “spas” dotted the outskirts of town that were notorious “houses of ill repute” like this one ad from 1979 near Camp Bullis, that tempted people with their mysterious allure.
Long time residents recall spas at Bandera and Tezel and Braun Station which were just outside the city limits as late as 1985, where you’d mostly find Vietnamese girls offering their “services”, and eager suit and tie patrons. Let’s not forget the infamous Tokyo Massage Parlour on Blanco Rd, owned by the legendary Sam Corey. There’s even a movie and a fascinating tale attached to that.
However, there was a time and a place where there were designated vice-related establishments in a special district, conveniently located close to for better control over the vice activity.
San Antonio was home to one of the largest red-light districts in the nation, known as the San Antonio Sporting District located west of the San Antonio Creek. The Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from 1888 marked houses “FB” or female boarding house, which was a well-known code for houses of prostitution.
Established by the city council in 1889, the district aimed to contain and regulate prostitution, along with various other vice-oriented businesses such as dance halls, saloons, and gambling parlors. Although city officials did not officially endorse these activities, they unofficially regulated them. The Sporting District grew so vast by the early 20th century that it ranked as the largest red-light district in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, generating significant licensing fees of $50,000 per year (equivalent to $1.37 million today) for the city.
Interestingly, unlike other cities of the time, the San Antonio Sporting District lacked segregation. It welcomed both black and white clientele, defying the racial segregation prevalent in Texas society. Inside the Sporting District, the Blue Book classified the prostitutes into different categories: “A”, “B”, and “C”. The “A” class represented the higher-priced organized brothels, while the “C” class referred to the lower class prostitutes or the “cribs”. It was a diverse mix, with a good number of FB’s mostly filled with Mexican or black prostitutes catering to men from all walks of life. “The Club” on South Leona Street was one such establishment that housed black and mulatto prostitutes.
The establishment of San Antonio’s red-light district in the late 1800s was not specifically dictated by a city ordinance designating a segregated geographical area. The 1889 ordinance focused more on licensing fees and controlling venereal diseases, rather than specifying the location of houses of prostitution. Mayor Bryan Callaghan believed in regulating rather than abolishing prostitution, emphasizing heavy licensing as a means of control. This approach was consistent with the prevailing attitudes in other Texas towns, where regulated prostitution was seen as a necessary evil. The San Antonio ordinance was eventually overturned due to a legal challenge, but the city officials quickly refunded the licensing fees and sought permission from the state government to rewrite the ordinance. The focus of regulation remained on licensing and health, rather than strict control over the location of prostitution. The growth of San Antonio during this time period played a role in the city’s perceived need to regulate prostitution.
Although San Antonio experienced its fair share of attempts to regulate and control prostitution, it had its own unique path. The city danced between legality and quasi-legality, leaving room for the industry to flourish. Prostitution enjoyed a sort of “wink-wink” legal status between 1891 and 1899, and even when the city tried to crack down, bawdy houses in the Sporting District continued to thrive with the consistently growing military presence and rail lines conveniently delivering customers right to the doorstep of all the excitement per the helpful instruction of the Blue Book, telling people to “Take I. & G. N. and San Fernando cars” to get there.
Houston Street rail line in San Antonio.
Interweaving with the broader backdrop of a dynamic period of conflicting beliefs and values that marked the late 1800’s and early 20th century, San Antonio boasts some interesting anecdotes that add to the unconventional nature of this vibrant city.
Located in San Antonio’s Second Ward, at the intersection of Durango and South San Saba Streets, Fannie Porter’s house, built in 1893, masqueraded as a “boarding house” but was actually a brothel. Fannie herself was documented in city directories from 1890 to 1902. The establishment was known for its luxurious amenities, including fine glass fixtures, silk sheets, plush carpeting, and even chilled champagne for special customers like members of the Wild Bunch. For several years, Fannie’s brothel served as a haven and meeting place for Butch Cassidy and the rest of the notorious Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. It was there that Harry Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid, is believed to have encountered Etta Place, who may have been working as a prostitute or chambermaid before Longabaugh helped her transition into a teaching career. Kid Curry, another member of the gang, also met his love interest, Annie Rogers, at Fannie’s establishment.
Although Fannie enjoyed connections and operated her brothel largely undisturbed by the authorities, she faced an arrest for “vagrancy” in the late 1880s, a term often used to describe prostitution at the time. Notably, Fannie, described as a tough and shrewd woman, was known to chase away police officers from her place with a broom. In the movie “Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid,” there is a scene where Butch rides a bicycle around a farm/hideout, which was inspired by a real-life incident where Butch Cassidy rode a bicycle around San Antonio’s Sporting District while Sundance enjoyed himself at Miss Porters Sporting House with Etta Place. By 1900, Fannie’s “boarding house” was home to five women aged nineteen to twenty-four, according to the census.
The Wild Bunch’s final known visit to Fannie’s brothel occurred in February 1901, as they were on the run between bank robberies. Planning to split up and escape the law, Fannie threw them a farewell party before they embarked on their separate journeys. That same year, William Pinkerton, the founder of the Pinkerton Agency, visited Fannie and was reputed to have treated her respectfully. As moral reform gained momentum and attitudes toward brothels shifted, Fannie eventually closed her establishment and retreated from public view. There are varied speculations about her later life, with some suggesting she retired as a wealthy woman, possibly having married a wealthy man, while others propose she lived in seclusion in Texas or even returned to England. The details remain unknown, and later rumors circulated that she died in a car accident in El Paso around 1940. In 1914, the building that once housed Fannie’s brothel was purchased by the Carmelite Sisters of Divine Charity and transformed into a daycare center. Sadly it ultimately met its fate and ended any chance of preservation when the building where the brother once stood went up in flames.
The legacy of prostitution is evident in the stringent laws and regulations that continue to shape communities today. In some areas, such as San Antonio, the historical prevalence of brothels has left a lasting impact on local legislation. For instance, it is now illegal for five single women to live in the same house if they are not related, directly affecting the ability of sororities to establish official sorority houses. This law serves as a reminder of the past, where brothels were numerous and often concentrated in certain areas. The aim of such legislation is to prevent the reemergence of brothel-like living arrangements and maintain societal norms. By restricting the cohabitation of unrelated women, these laws reflect a societal attempt to distance themselves from the history and stigma associated with prostitution, ultimately shaping the modern landscape and limiting the options available to certain groups within the community.
