University of Virginia Library

Sporting House

Unfortunately,
recollections, anecdotes, and
traditions remain the major
source of information about
Marguiretta and her
establishment. The nature of
her profession made written
records indiscreet, and fire,
flood and time have combined
to deplete the already small
stock of documented
information.

Something is known,
however, of the history of the
house itself. The title to the
property has been traced back
as far as 1861, and in the
century since then, ownership
has changed hands at least
fifteen times. From 1922 to
1951 the property belonged to
Marguiretta, during which she
ran "an elegant and high-class
establishment."

Marguiretta's, Circa 1939: "An Elegant And High-Class Establishment."

Nor was Marguiretta's the
only brothel that ever occupied
the house on Fifth Street. For
13 years before Marguiretta
purchased the property Annie
Williams, "a very pretty,
light-skinned colored woman,"
as local historian Bernard P.
Chamberlain described her,
"ran it as a sporting house."

"As far as I know," said Mr.
Chamberlain, "she was the first
to use it as a brothel."

Mr. Chamberlain did
conjecture that there may have
been other, earlier houses of
ill-repute on that site as well.
Prior to 1909, only in 1862 did
the owner actually live in the
house. To what use, precisely,
it was put between 1862 and
1909 remains a mystery buried
in the past.

There is even the possibility
that the house was originally
built for "sporting."

Located near the C&O
railroad terminal, Marguiretta's
was solidly inside
Charlottesville's "red light
district." Up until Marguiretta
arrived in 1922, there were at
least three houses of
prostitution in that area.
Establishments run by "Aunt"
Matt Thomas and Mamie Fall
provided competition for
Annie Williams, Marguiretta's
predecessor.