Kearney's Red Light District

Stories of outlaws and crime surrounding the American push westward, Kearney's Red Light District stands as a landmark for women's history of the law and crime in 19th century Great Plains. Surrounding a woman as the ring leader for those who had partaken in vice and encountered it daily, her name surfaces multiple times in what was known as The Kearney Daily Hub. As written in the Hub many times, many occurrences of criminal activity occur near or on the Gebhart property as found in a few particular clippings from 1894. After further findings and explicit detail in these stories we find further criminal activity and community disgust surrounding the house as Maude was well known for continuing a legacy of gambling, prostitution, and many being three sheets to the wind when picked up by local police. However, for Maude and those boarded at her residency, this was there way of life. In order to survive the cruel frontier with danger lurking every corner, their only means to break through the ceiling of patriarchy was to embezzle in actions erroneous to the community.

 When considering the magnitude of Kearney and the many trials and tribulations women in our community have endured through its history, our old red light district encompasses the full potential of the hard work and underlying tones to free themselves of the lower class comes to light in this specific fragment of Kearney women’s history.  With the tales of a mayor being thrown out at a solicited site and the women who made their living on these streets we now call “The Bricks”. Still imperative we tell the stories of what women had to do in the shadows while avoiding the law for wages to survive and to break through the barrier which set men and women apart in the occupational realm.  Therefore, we will engage with stories regarding the Madame of the local brothel that we regard as an entrepreneur and head of the lowly deeds which women had to go through for an income and to make a living. In poverty and the ambition to become what we see as an equal, these women set the criteria for what would become our beloved city and bond to the glorious story of women’s economic upbringing.         

 With stories from the underground our main focus comes with the tales of a specific resident of late 19thcentury Kearney.  Maude Gebhart, an flamboyant occupier within the south side of Kearney remains to be a prominent name during this time period for her constant relevancy for crime and issues for the community.  Mostly known for constant reviews from the Kearney Daily Hub. Gebhart would be the central story for multiple headline stories for criminality and the latest profile-raising news this side of the Rockies.  The stories from these newspaper headlines detail that of gambling, prostitution, and multiple arrests of citizens who were contributing to the depravity as well as how these forms of vice allowed those who were boarded under the Madame came to relevancy.  

            To begin our story of the Gebhart residency, we will start with the deceit of our local city diplomat, Mayor Brady.  After coming back to the city from a train visit to Omaha of June 4, 1894, article reports detail of Mr. Brady being under the influence and ready for a night out in the underground as he was customarily dealt in those corruptions. Constantly receiving backlash for his participation and disregard for common decency, many newspaper reports as well as resident voices disregarded him as a low-life for wanting to decrease police incarceration of those in the area.  However, during this particular night after being in an altercation with a Mr. Ed. Cutting in what used to be Bock’s Saloon, Mr. Brady would soon find himself being escorted out of the notorious Gebhart residency after another altercation with the same gentleman from before as well as those boarded at the resort and having to deal with constant violence and what seemed to be ceaseless demeaning of their drudgery.  The mayor would face criminal charges as well as deplete the last amount of trust the city had in him for his affairs within the Kearney “Burnt District”. So the next time you're visiting, don't forget to check the local telephone subscription and dial 70 for the Gebhart Residency.

"The Mayor on a Tear." The Kearney Daily Hub (Kearney) June 4th 1894. , 3-3.

"A Desperado Captured." The Kearney Hub (Kearney) January 11th 1894. , 3-3.