Hidden Economy: A Spatial Analysis of Detroit’s Potomac Quarter

Mozelle Bowers, Wayne State University
Julie Julison, Wayne State University
Sarah Pounders, Wayne State University

The Femme Beings Project is a community-based archaeological research collective involved in a multifaceted study of historical sex work in Detroit. Through the NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute, our goal has been to study the interconnectedness of women engaged in sex work and their environment, including the brothels, saloons, pharmacies, and men’s workplaces in the Potomac Quarter-- a designated red-light district in Detroit. Our multi-dimensional, interactive map explores how these spaces intersect and shape the social landscape of the area between 1880 and 1920. Data on individual sex workers was combined with research from newspaper archives, city directories, photographs, advertisements, and Sanborn maps to create a dynamic map of the Potomac Quarter that visualizes a rich, storied neighborhood near the riverfront in Detroit. The map visualizes patterns and continuity within the collected data and focuses on the connection between brothel locations and proximity to potential customers. The spatial data pushes our research beyond the limitations of archival data to reveal the social and economic patterns associated with the lives and workspaces of historical sex workers. The map allows us to bring to light the lived experience of women and preserves their experiences and contributions within the broader social history of Detroit.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 101. NEH Community Deep Mapping Institute 1