Red Light District, Winnemucca, Legal Brothel Obsolete
Added: 2025-05-15
Color: Gray
Inserts: 3 sxs Yellow
Mold: Plain
Inlay: OR-Gray
Logo: Nude
Contributed by: A. J. Giametta
NOTES — Winnemucca, Nevada, historically had a red-light district, but it no longer exists.
Here’s a summary of its history:
Early Days: Winnemucca’s red-light district initially developed along East Second Street.
Regulation and Confinement: In 1914, the county commission decided to regulate prostitution by confining it to a specific area known as the Riverside Addition.
Properties within this district were required to be enclosed by fences at least eight feet high.
Long History of Brothels: Brothels operated in Winnemucca’s red-light district for many decades.
For example, a two-story home known as the “Davis House” at the corner of Baud and Second Street housed madams until 1973.
Decline and Closure: While some brothels continued to operate as late as 2016, the red-light district eventually closed after the owner of those establishments passed away.
Modern Winnemucca: Today, Winnemucca is described as a conservative town where people generally keep to themselves.
While brothels are no longer operating, Winnemucca’s history as a town with a regulated red-light district remains a part of its past.
