Madams of DC Walking Tour
Overview
The Madams in DC tour gives you a perspective of DC's history that you won't hear anywhere else. The Civil War completely transformed the Capital, and turned Pennsylvania Avenue into a red light district main street lined with bawdy houses, taverns, theaters, and commercial ventures. Hard to imagine, now that it's lined with monolithic government buildings! You'll learn about how the women who worked in these brothels made their way in life, and even had an impact on affairs of government.
Inclusions
- Two hours of fascinating information by an experienced guide. No entry fees necessary.
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, DC 20004-1008
Where Freedom Plaza is now once used to be the notorious neighborhood known as Murder Bay. As we walk through this spacious open area currently used for festivals and music events, you'll hear all about the taverns, gambling houses, and brothels popular with Northern Arm soldiers that used to stand there.
Stop At: Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
On the block where the Trump International Hotel, formerly the Old Postal Office building, currently stands, was the 11th Street strip, a subsection of the Red Light district on Pennsylvania Avenue where the Military Provost Guard harassed and arrested some of the raucous Madams in the neighborhood.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: The National Archives Museum, 700 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, DC 20408-0001
Continuing in our journey through time, you'll learn about the lives of prostitutes in Civil War DC and the part they played in society, as we pass by the former site of the largest central urban Market in DC.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: IOOF Temple Building, 419 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
We'll stop for a drink at Hill Country BBQ (*cost of beverage not included), across the street from the International Order of Odd Fellows Temple. The IOOF supported the arts, and the art of having a good time. It was common to see the higher class working girls walking into a grand party hosted by the Odd Fellows, on the arm of an Army Officer. Scandalous!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: National Gallery of Art, Constitution Ave NW 6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC, DC 20002
The former site of Marble Alley, where two of DC's highest paid Madams had a vicious rivalry.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: National Museum of the American Indian, 4th St SW Independence Ave SW, Washington DC, DC 20560
An archeological dig discovered the remains of DC most notorious, and yet charitable, Madams. The tour ends at this, the most glamorous of DC's Civil War-era pleasure houses.
Duration: 10 minutes
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- Guests must be able to be on their feet for at least 2 hours.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
It was a great history lesson on the history of DC, how it grew up, and the role the sex trade played. Added a great perspective of another part of the civil war impact in the states, and good visuals of DC in the 1800s. The stories were amazing and well documented. Great experience and highly re...
It was a great history lesson on the history of DC, how it grew up, and the role the sex trade played. Added a great perspective of another part of the civil war impact in the states, and good visuals of DC in the 1800s. The stories were amazing and well documented. Great experience and highly recommend for a different perspective.Loved the history. Guide was very good at describing the photos when she realized my wife was blind.
Loved the history. Guide was very good at describing the photos when she realized my wife was blind.Katie gave a very well researched and entertaining walking tour. She told us about DC history that I had never heard of before and took us through places in DC that I had never been to before. What a fantastic way to spend a great evening out and about in DC.
Katie gave a very well researched and entertaining walking tour. She told us about DC history that I had never heard of before and took us through places in DC that I had never been to before. What a fantastic way to spend a great evening out and about in DC.We have now done three tours with Katie of Off the Mall Tours, Madams of DC, Wives Who Won the Cold War, and now District of Punk. All the tours are fun, informative, and you never feel rushed or shushed like in some of the more stodgy tours. I highly recommend Off the Mall and all their tours.
We have now done three tours with Katie of Off the Mall Tours, Madams of DC, Wives Who Won the Cold War, and now District of Punk. All the tours are fun, informative, and you never feel rushed or shushed like in some of the more stodgy tours. I highly recommend Off the Mall and all their tours.This was such an awesome experience in DC! The tour is definitely not your standard DC history tour - which we loved! We’d already seen the National Mall and wanted to learn more about the local history, and Katie did not disappoint. Learning about the “underbelly of DC” (as my dad called it) was...
This was such an awesome experience in DC! The tour is definitely not your standard DC history tour - which we loved! We’d already seen the National Mall and wanted to learn more about the local history, and Katie did not disappoint. Learning about the “underbelly of DC” (as my dad called it) was so much fun and shed a new light on the history of the city. Katie is clearly knowledgeable and has done a ton of research, so this tour was unique, informative, and engaging. We’ll be attending another of Katie’s tours in the future whenever we make our next trip to DC!Excellent walking tour of the DC neighborhood by a very knowledgeable tour guide! She was great at sharing interesting tidbits along the walk, and she really shared some crazy stories about these hidden gems of DC. Very excited to try some of their additional tours later this year!
Excellent walking tour of the DC neighborhood by a very knowledgeable tour guide! She was great at sharing interesting tidbits along the walk, and she really shared some crazy stories about these hidden gems of DC. Very excited to try some of their additional tours later this year!