Patrice LeBlanc, Central City. Born in Sweden in February 14, 1857, Madame Louisa (Lou) Bunch came to Denver in 1877 or 1878. Worked for Maddie Silks as a prostitute until 1884 where she became a Madame. She used the name Lou Lou Davis as her professional name. 

She eventually married a well-known gambler, George Bunch, in 1879. He was arrested many times for beating Lou. They had a child together but he didn’t survive. After their son died, Lou moved to Market Street in 1895 and kept a boarding house. She vanished from the scene at that time and entered the hospital. Possible rumors are she was being treated for syphilis. 

Not much is known about what happened to George Bunch, however, Lou listed herself as a widow in 1900. She used the name Mrs. George Bunch or Georgie Bunch as a cover.

In 1899 she bought the house owned by May Marstin on Pine Street in Central City and turned it into a brothel. Lou had 2-4 girls (called sporting house girls) working for her at all times. The house was located right off of Main Street and next to the mines, which made a prominent location for the customers. Although prostitution was illegal, most officials turned the other way due to Lou’s support of local organizations and businesses. Despite her reputation as a Madame, this 300 pound woman became an important and respected member of the community. An epidemic hit Central City in the early 1900s, and rumor has it Lou’s house was turned into a makeshift hospital to care for the sick minors. Although this legend is well known, no actual facts have been confirmed. 

A statewide ban on alcohol was issued in 1915 and the result of prohibition forced Lou to shut down her brothel. She sold her house in Central City and moved to Denver. In 1920 she moved in with Maddie Silks and cared for her until her death in 1929. Lou moved to Aurora briefly in 1930 and became a housekeeper for Joseph Smith until his death that year. Lou moved to Fox Street in Denver and began receiving a pension in 1933 of $10/month. 

Lou Bunch died in 1925 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Fairmont Cemetery. She was buried in the same section as other prominent Central City citizens; Fred Warwick, Lizzie Hamilton and May Marstin. In 2011, the Reserve Casino paid for her headstone. The Gilpin County Historical Society has been raising money for headstones for the other citizens.

Lou Bunch Days began in 1974 and continues to be one of Central City’s best and most famous festivals. Westword named it The Most Unique Mountain event in Colorado. The traditional bed races down Main Street were filmed for the movie, The Dutchess and the Dirtwater Fox, starring Goldie Hawn, but the footage didn’t make it into the final cut of the film. The Madame and Miners Ball, the Sporting House girls and Dandy Dans fill the streets along with the Wild Bunch, who reenact western shootouts. Live entertainment is performed throughout the day. 

This year’s festival is on June 15, 2019, at noon on Main Street, Central City. The parade is at 2:45 p.m. and the bed races start at 3 p.m.

(Originally published in the May 23, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)