I'm researching a book, and in particular the travels of a prominent auto racing driver who may have visited the Midway Plaisance in 1903. My question is, did the place exist at that time, and did the performer, "Little Egypt" appear at that time?

If the establishment was in operation in September 1903, can anyone tell me anything about it? Was prostitution practiced? Were rooms provided on site? Did fighting occur on a typical night?

Thanks for any insights...

-- Mark Dill (markdill@mindspring.com), August 13, 2003

Answers

Little Egypt appeared at the Midway Plaisance on San Francisco's Barbary Coast during the 1915 PPIE--too hot an act for the fair. However, this wasn't the first "Little Egypt". There were in fact a number of ladies who performed under that name--the first during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the 1894 California Mid-winter Fair in San Francisco. Another performed at Spyder Kelley's on the Barbary Coast in 1911. See her photo at: http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6670.jpg

Not exactly what you had in mind? Tastes have changed.

Cheers, Jim

-- Jim Smith (jrs50@earthlink.net), March 24, 2004.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. The heck with the Hoochie Coochie stuff, who's the racer? Earl Cooper, Ralph DePalma, J. Emmet Hayden, Barney Oldfield, Terrible Teddy Tetzlaff?

-- strange (stranger@yahoo.com), March 25, 2004.