Dave Forsyth, Gilpin County Historical Society director, and Dean Dilullo, general manager, of Fortune Valley Casino, with the $1,500 check the casino donated to the GCHS. The famous brass bed used in the Main Street bed race stands ready for its annual workout. Photo by Linda Jones
By Linda Jones
Dave Forsyth, director of the Gilpin County Historical Society, delved into the unknown past of Lou Bunch, the celebrated Madam, who was the last such businesswoman to leave Central City in 1916. His research resulted in several pages of heretofore-unknown facts about the astute brothel manager, including the fact her grave in Fairmount Cemetery has no tombstone. Curiously, she is buried in the same plot as two other Central City madams, May Martin and Lizzie Thomas, and the husband of both those madams, Fred Warwick. Warwick purchased a tombstone for his first wife, May Martin, but the graves of Warwick and his second wife, Lizzie Thomas, are unmarked. Although Fairmount was the elite cemetery of the late 19th century and 20th century, many well-known madams were allowed to be buried there.
Forsyth mentioned the lack of a gravestone for Lou when he met with Dean Dilullo, general manager of Fortune Valley Casino, and Dilullo generously offered to donate the necessary amount to GCHS to purchase a fitting stone. The announcement by Forsyth of the surprise gift had the effect of bringing all the Central City Sporting House Girls to tears.
Dilullo said “Fortune Valley is providing its full support to Lou Bunch Day and the goals of the Gilpin Historical Museum. We felt it was only appropriate that Lou Bunch, a Central City icon, have a headstone.”
When the tombstone is erected, an appropriate memorial will be held at the madam’s grave.
BED RACE RESULTS
Congratulations to Steve and Lisa Boulter and James Valentine of Dostal Alley for winning the bed race and the “Old Fart” award. Second place went to the Doc Holliday team of Jeff Greenhalgh, Dave Patterson and Tahsha Braning and third to Famous Bonanza/Easy Street team of Ryan and Myra Walters and Allan Jameson and “Youngest Team” award.
Fortune Valley’s Dean Dilullo, Michael Wendelin, and Cayla Marshall won “Best Costume” award.
Congratulations everyone!
