Julia Bulette: Prostitute

Virginia City, Nevada

Julia Bulette was Virginia City's best-known prostitute during its 1860s heyday, and was murdered in 1867. Her killer was quickly caught, and 4,000 people attended his hanging (including Mark Twain).

Although Julia was posthumously praised in the local newspaper as kind-hearted and charitable, and was even made an honorary member of the city fire department, she had to be buried outside of the town cemetery because she was a prostitute.

Julia gradually became a Virginia City folk hero, and in September 2022 a statue of her was unveiled downtown on C Street, a block away from the old red light district. Carved by Paul Buelna from tree that might have been a sapling when Julia was alive, it depicts her as thin and weary-faced. She wears a simple pioneer dress, and clutches a bouquet of plastic flowers.