The daytime walk · Summer 2026
Walk the Line
A 1.5-hour walking tour through Butte's historic red-light district: Mercury Street and Venus Alley, at its peak one of the largest in the American West. Walking only: no buildings entered, no food or drink, no ghosts. Real women, real stories, no apologies.
Daytime street photoThe walk
Four stops, ninety minutes, one square mile.
Butte in 1900 was one of the wealthiest cities in the world, and one of the most exploitative. Thousands of miners arrived with money and appetite, and a system grew up around them: saloons, gambling halls, and a red-light district along Mercury Street and Venus Alley that, at its peak, was one of the largest in the American West.
Led by Chelsea Hogan of Montana Wonder Tours, this walk follows the same streets where Lou Harper ran one of the most opulent brothels in the city, where Carrie Nation charged down Pleasant Alley in 1910 and got thrown out of the Irish World by madam Mae Malloy, and where the Dumas Brothel operated continuously from 1890 to 1982.
We're not here to romanticize or judge. We're here to ask who these women actually were, how they survived a place like Butte, what they built, and what was taken from them.
Mercury & Main
Where the district began. The lay of the line, and why Butte built one in the first place.
The Dumas Brothel
The longest-running house of its kind in the country, open from 1890 to 1982.
Venus Alley & the cribs
The cramped one-room cells, and the brutal economics of working the line.
The record
Census pages, tax rolls, and where the women rest now. Who got remembered, and who didn't.
Tickets
Pricing
Ninety minutes on foot, thirteen dates across July and August. Booking happens on Eventbrite.
The full ninety-minute walk. Small group, capped at 25, runs with a minimum of 2.
Get Tickets ↗Book the walk for your family, school, reunion, or event. Tell us the date and group size.
Inquire ↗Good to know
The daylight tour is the one to start with: you get the whole district, and the guide actually knows the records cold.Visitor · TripAdvisor
Before you book
FAQ
- Where do we meet?
Somewhere in Uptown Butte, a short walk from downtown parking. We're finalizing the exact corner and will confirm it well before the season.
- Is there an age limit?
The After Dark evenings serve a cocktail and are 21 and up. The daytime Walk the Line has no food or drink and welcomes all ages. Guests 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
- How do I book a private or group tour?
Send your date and group size from the Contact page. We run private walks for families, schools, reunions, and events.
- Refunds & weather?
We walk in all weather. Dress for Montana.
The evening series
After Dark
Longer, smaller, and inside the buildings: a three-hour night with a cocktail and light bites. The Myra, the Dumas, or the full night. From $100.