Galena, Kansas Is Home To What Used To Be A Murder Bordello And You Can Visit It For Yourself
By Clarisa|Published January 22, 2020
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Clarisa
Author
Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during their time here in the Sunflower State. As a busy mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, they write whenever there is spare time.
Many of us known Galena as a tiny town not far from Joplin that is a little famous for inspiring part of a children’s film. However, there’s more history here than you may think. This murder bordello is a unique piece of history where the murder of crows you see in the sculpture really does signify murder. This history mystery is something you’ll want to explore for yourself.
Welcome to the Murder Bordello, a home that was once a brothel but now serves as a museum for itself. Back in the mining days of Galena, a brothel like this wouldn't be out of place. However, what happened inside was certainly not standard.
Brothels and saloons weren't exactly out of place during the late 1800s when Galena was a mining town, but one family opened this bordello and instead of treating their customers well to get them to return? They decided instead to murder them for what money they had on them.
However, the mystery lies within the "Bloody Madam", Ma Steffleback. As the legend goes, she and her sons were the ones behind all of the killings. Bludgeoning those people to death left a dark mark on the house that makes some believe it's now haunted.
The home didn't always look so clean and well kept, either. Before the restoration, it looked like an abandoned home you'd see in any tiny Kansas town, never to be noticed. Thanks to the hard work of many, they now run daily tours.
Another layer to the mystery attached to the home lies in modern-day controversies. Some claim that this home isn't actually the Steffleback bordello after all. Though the home was saved from a wrecking ball, it's said that there isn't enough evidence for it, despite the family living in town.
Though this historic home was once a brothel and the murders did happen in the Galena area, we hope that the mysteries are indeed connected. Whether you believe it's haunted and that it's the real bordello is your choice, but we hope you enjoy the tour.
