In the history of San Francisco, there are two infamous Madams... Belle Cora, and Ah Toy. The former is arguably much more infamous. There are several versions of Bell's origins, but most historians believe she is the daughter of strict Irish parents who happen to live one house over from a brothel, and Belle and her sister became intrigued with the oldest profession. Later, Belle went off on her own, and after a while, made it to New Orleans, where she met Charles Cora, a riverboat captain who's also an avid gambler. The two became inseparable and decided to make their way West. They tried several cities in California until settling in San Francisco by 1849, just as gold was discovered in Sonoma. They established a parlor / brothel at the corner of Dupont and Washington... with the most beautiful women... and the highest prices, catering to the elite of the city. Belle was the most expensively dressed woman in town, and Charles himself was no slough, believed to have a net w...
An exploration of San Francisco Chinatown typically NOT covered by tours