The Saloon
When one thinks of an old west town usually one includes a church, dusty dirt roads and a saloon with swinging doors. At the very beginning of the westward migration, there weren't really towns.
.jpg)
It was more like communities of tents with pretty much all men, which presented a large opportunity. Back east, women did not go to saloons and upheld the Victorian style morals and behavior. This type of moral code didn't mesh well with the wild frontier. Shrewd men and women could see the 'need' for certain establishments in these communities. Once a saloon was built, then what we think of as an old west town, would get built up.
The Painted Ladies Arrive
Most of the old west towns had a few women of ill-repute. At first, they would hide behind other jobs like a laundress or seamstress. Soon, the saloon owners would encourage them to work or the women themselves asked to work there. It was a way for women to earn the kind of money they would not otherwise have the chance to earn. Women started opening up their own businesses and those women became pivotal in the development of the town. The men had names for these women such as 'Soiled Dove' and 'Painted Ladies.'
Daily Life Of A Saloon Girl
Most people associate saloon girls with prostitutes. While that went on, most saloon girls were there to simply entertain the men so they would stay and continue to buy more alcohol which meant they spent more money. Many saloon girls were widows who had no other means of support or young girls who were seeking something more than working on their family farm. The girls were to dance with the men and get the men to buy them drinks. The men would pay full price for the girl's drink, not realizing that it was really just tea or colored water. The girls received a small commission on the number of drinks they sold plus a weekly salary. Many saloon or 'dance-hall girls' made more money dancing with the men than they could as a prostitute.