Endicott Street Brothel

Like most of Boston, this area has been occupied for millennia, beginning with the Massachusett Tribe. In the early 17th century, colonial settlers changed the landscape to harness the tidal waters of the cove to power several mills. A diverse neighborhood grew around the mills over the next century. People built homes and wharves along the waterfront.

The town began to fill Mill Pond starting in the early 1800s and continuing until 1828. They used horses and carts to transport soil from surrounding areas, dumping it into the tidal bay. This added 50 acres of land to the City, which was separated into lots and then sold. The neighborhood surrounding Endicott Street was meant for development into residential areas. It contained many multi-story residences. These were intended to house the working classes.

Eventually, much of this area was sold to industrial and commercial entities. For nearly 40 years, 27-29 Endicott Street functioned as a tenant building. From 1852-1867, it was a brothel managed by a succession of three madams. The building was occupied solely by female tenants.

The excavation of the privy yielded 8,140 artifacts. They included:

• alcohol bottles
• tea wares
• medical objects
• children’s toys
• jewelry
• cosmetics, and
• even glass feeders for caged birds.

The daily lives of sex workers were rarely recorded in polite 19th-century society. These artifacts provide a close-up look into the lives of the women who lived and worked in the brothel.

The excavation of the Endicott Street Brothel Privy has resulted in many publications. These include doctoral dissertations, master’s theses, journal articles, and a forthcoming book. They explore multiple research topics and different artifact types. Please see our collection of research documents to learn more about the lives of the women living in this 19th-century brothel.