Madame Pearl DeVere ~ Julie Lence

  

Pearl or one of her girls

Born in Evansville, Indiana October 1859, Eliza Martin was one of five children to John (a Civil War veteran) and Nancy Marshall. She moved to Denver, Colorado at age 15 and found work as a prostitute. During this time, Denver was experiencing a down time in ‘business’ and Eliza moved to El Paso County (south of Denver), where she met Albert Young. The two married but lived apart. Eliza gave birth to a daughter and it’s believed she gave the child up for adoption. Around this time, she dyed her hair red, dressed in fine clothing and jewelry, and adopted the namesakes, Isabelle Martin and Mrs. E. A. Martin.

 

Having made quite a bit of money working in Denver, Eliza moved to Cripple Creek, Colorado in 1893. Located on the back side of Pikes Peak, the town was booming from gold strikes. She changed her name to Pearl DeVere and went to work as a prostitute, buying a small house on the famed Myers Avenue and hiring only the prettiest girls to work for her, as she herself was considered a beauty. A smart businesswoman, Pearl insisted her girls practice good hygiene, dress smart, and have a medical exam every month.

 

The Old Homestead (today)

Pearl was also an avid rider and could often be found renting a horse at the livery to ride around town. Many of the ‘ladies’ favored the pastime, which was also deemed good business. Sitting in the saddle and decked out in their finery, they caught the attention of many men, especially Pearl. With a striking figure and known to never appear in public in the same gown, she caught the attention of wealthy mill owner, C. B. Flynn. They married in 1895, and a few months later, what is now known as the historic fire of 1896 swept through town, destroying most of the businesses, to include Flynn’s mill and Pearl’s house. To recover some of his losses, Flynn went to work as a smelter in Mexico. Pearl stayed in Cripple Creek, and with new buildings springing up fast, she borrowed funds from Orinda Straile of New York and built a new home for herself on Myers Avenue. Named ‘The Old Homestead’,  the two-story brick home with its electric lights, running water, two bathrooms, and intercom and telephone had everyone gossiping. Coal stoves placed in upstairs rooms kept the second floor warm and cozy during winter months; fireplaces heated the downstairs rooms. Rich clientele flocked to The Old Homestead to enjoy not only the women who worked there, but the finest liquor and the scrumptious meals Pearl served, and to attend the lavish parties she held, at a cost to them of $250 per night.    

Sadly, Pearl’s reign over her new establishment was short-lived. After an all-night party in June of 1897, she was having a difficult time unwinding and falling asleep. She asked one of her girls to bunk with her, and the following day, the girl found Pearl with her face in the pillow and her breathing heavy. A doctor was summoned, but there was nothing he could do to help Pearl; she overdosed on morphine and died that afternoon. Laid out in a rich ball gown, Pearl’s funeral was a grand affair, with mounted policemen escorting her body to Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. The service was quick, and afterward, the Elks Club band played, ‘They’ll Be A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight’.

 

The Old Homestead continued under Hazel Vernon, from 1897 – 1916. Afterward, it became a boarding house and then a private residence, with owners discovering several original items they decided to share with the public. In June 1958, the house opened as a museum and remains as such today.  

 

Tatanka

Stands with a Fist original costume

 If you read westerns that involve Native Americans, you've probably seen the word "Tatanka" a lot.  I had the good fortune of visiting the site in South Dakota, financed by Kevin Costner in honor of his famous movie,Dances with Wolves.  Since my debut novel and a successor were set in the "sacred hills," Paha sapa, I was anxious to soak in as much as I could about an area I'd only imagined.  It was amazing and I took some pictures to share.

The first thing is the Tatanka (Buffalo) that met me at the doorway to this mini-museum.

The next thing was the amazing photo gallery that showed how White man destroyed the very animal that the Indians depended on for virtually everything.  Bladders were used as water receptacles as we use canteens, stomachs were used as cooking vessels by dropping hot stones into the content, sinew or tendons were used for sewing, bowstrings, and other things, and bones were used for scraping smooth the many hides that served as lodge coverings, blankets and clothings.  There is so much more to share but I'll post my pictures and hope you'll be as disgusted as I was.

Buffalo killed for sport

Buffalo skulls piled high as proof of the kill

And my favorite, besides the authentic costumes was the buffalo jump made of metal that showed one of the oldest manners in which Indian warriors collected only the animals they needed to survive:

As you can see, a presentation was involved by a lovely Lakota Woman who told interesting tales about her ancestors.  I wish I had gotten her name, but I only recall that when the Indians were forced to the reservation, they were told they must take a first and last name.  Her family wanted Lakota words meaning two buffalo, but were not allowed the Sioux words, but Two Buffalo is last name I will always respect.  When we left I had a sudden need to hug her and apologize for what my ancestors did to hers.  She was wonderful as she passed around the bladder, stomach, and bones as examples of necessities of her tribe.  The Black Hills are indeed sacred, and I understand more now than through my research why the Sioux wanted to hold on to them.