Rosa May was a prostitute and madam in Bodie, California, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for her colorful life in the Wild West. Born Rosa Elizabeth White in January 1855 in Pennsylvania to Irish immigrants, she ran away from home at 16 and entered prostitution in New York City. By 1873, she was working in Virginia City, Nevada, under madam Cad Thompson, and later moved to Bodie around 1888. There, she ran a successful brothel in the red-light district, owned a house, and had a relationship with saloon owner Ernest Marks.
A local legend, popularized by Ella Cain’s 1956 book The Story of Bodie, portrays Rosa as a “hooker with a heart of gold” who died nursing miners during a 1911–1912 epidemic. However, research by George Williams III found no evidence of such an epidemic or her death, suggesting she may have left Bodie after 1910 as the town declined. Her fate remains unknown, but her story, preserved through letters and folklore, makes her a legendary figure in Bodie’s history, with a supposed grave at Boot Hill Cemetery drawing tourists.
Early Life and Beginnings
Rosa Elizabeth White, known as Rosa May, was born in January 1855 in Pennsylvania to Irish immigrant parents. Raised in a strict household, Rosa’s early life was marked by constraint, which may have contributed to her decision to run away from home at the age of 16 in 1871. Fleeing to New York City, she found herself in a challenging environment with limited opportunities for a young, uneducated woman. It was here that Rosa entered the world of prostitution, a path that would define much of her life. From 1871 to 1873, she drifted through mining camps in Colorado and Idaho, honing her trade in the rough-and-tumble towns of the American West.
Life in Virginia City
By 1873, Rosa May arrived in Virginia City, Nevada, a bustling silver mining town. She quickly became a prominent figure in the local red-light district, working under madam Cad Thompson (Sarah Higgins) at the Brick House, a well-known brothel. Rosa was a favored employee, often entrusted with managing the establishment during Thompson’s trips to San Francisco. Her time in Virginia City, from 1873 to 1888, was spent circulating between brothels in Virginia City, Carson City, and Reno. Described as a petite, dark-eyed, curly-haired woman, Rosa was known for her charm and emotional volatility, traits that endeared her to some and alienated others. Letters and diaries from the period suggest she took a genuine interest in those around her, though her early years may have been shaped by a traumatic event, the details of which remain unknown.
Move to Bodie
In 1888, Rosa began traveling between Virginia City and Bodie, California, a gold-mining boomtown. She settled in Bodie by 1893, where she formed a significant relationship with Ernest Marks, a saloon owner. Rosa purchased a house in Bodie’s red-light district, known as Virgin Alley, for $175 in 1902, establishing herself as a fixture in the town’s underworld. Her home, marked by a red lantern, was adorned with fine furnishings, silver doorknobs, and mirrors, reflecting wealth accumulated from her trade and Marks’ affection, who reportedly lavished her with diamonds and furs. Rosa’s time in Bodie was marked by her business acumen, as she ran a thriving prostitution and gambling operation alongside Marks.
The Legend of the “Hooker with a Heart of Gold”
Rosa May’s legacy is tied to a local legend that portrays her as a compassionate figure who nursed sick miners during a supposed epidemic in Bodie, ultimately succumbing to the illness herself in the winter of 1911 or 1912. This story, popularized by Ella Cain’s 1956 book The Story of Bodie, earned Rosa the moniker “the hooker with a heart of gold.” However, extensive research by author George Williams III in the 1970s casts doubt on this narrative. Williams found no evidence of an epidemic during 1911–1912, and contemporary accounts from Bodie residents refute the claim. It’s likely that Cain’s account, which includes a photo of an unmarked grave surrounded by a wooden fence, was embellished for dramatic effect. The grave, a popular tourist attraction at Bodie State Historic Park, may not even be Rosa’s, as a headstone placed there in 1965 by Louis Serventi was based on family stories and Cain’s book, not definitive evidence.
Disappearance and Legacy
Rosa May appears in the 1910 Bodie census, listed as a 46-year-old prostitute, but no records of her exist in the town after that year. As Bodie’s economy declined, she may have left in search of better opportunities. Despite an exhaustive search, Williams found no death records for Rosa, leaving her fate uncertain. A delinquent tax notice from 1913 lists her property in Bodie, suggesting she may have abandoned it. Her story, shrouded in mystery, is preserved through 26 personal letters discovered by Williams, which offer glimpses into her charismatic yet complex personality.
Rosa’s life was dramatized in the musical Nevada Belle by George Morgan and Duane Ashby, and her supposed grave remains a draw for visitors to Bodie’s Boot Hill Cemetery, where she was allegedly buried outside the main cemetery due to her profession. While much of her biography remains speculative, Rosa May’s story captures the resilience and contradictions of women navigating the harsh realities of the Wild West. Her legacy endures as a symbol of both the stigmatized “fallen woman” and the enduring allure of the frontier’s untold stories.