Recently in The Chicken Ranch Category

One argument held against the Chicken Ranch was that it ran off new businesses and industry by its proximity. This is most likely true.

• Outsiders in a conservative area are not likely to choose found their businesses and hence raise their families in a place with a whorehouse. It simply isn't wholesome.

Especially since the population of La Grange is almost entirely from near proximity and would have known about the Chicken Ranch.

• It is rumored that the Chicken Ranch would have brought in tourist dollars which would circulate the city. While this may be true, it would not be families or vacationers, meaning money would only be used for food and drink.

• Even if the revenue of the Chicken Ranch equaled or surpassed that of a additional businesses, the money would not have recirculated in LaGrange. As the script mentions, the girls were not welcome in town. Also, most prostitutes are in financial situations similar to Angel's, supporting children or debts.

• Additionally, the prostitutes of the Chicken Ranch were never from LaGrange itself, making the Chicken Ranch anything but a place of employment for locals.

In The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the girls must wash all customers before sexual intercourse can take place. It is assumed that this procedure occurs to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This method of STD prevention is a last ditch effort to protect the girls and customers.

Its effectiveness is unsubstantiated, unproved, and not recommended or endorsed.

However, here are my thoughts on the slight effects it could have had:

• Potentially lessen the chance of catching a bacterial infection.
• gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia are examples
• the chance of effect would be increased by adding an acidic liquid to the water
  
• these are treatable with antibiotics, so there a chance of eradicating it later

• Would most likely of these lessen the chance of catching any genital problem that shows externally (topical ailments)
  
• could remove some Pubic Lice, also know as 'crabs'
• could reduce chance of contracting Scabies
• could reduce change of contracting the viral Genital Warts during an outbreak

• Would not protect from viral STDs of any sort
• herpes (HSV), hepatitis (HBV), or HIV/AIDS
• genital warts (HPV) is a viral STD. {Yes, the HPV that causes cervical cancer}
• viral STDs cannot be cured, only the symptoms may be treated

As far as postcloital washing is concerned, it could aid customers in not contracting a disease. Postcloital washing does not positively effect females, however.

• the penis reaches past the cervix, effectively placing all ejaculate beyond the typical reach of water
• douching of any sort is not recommeneded by medical professionals. Even if an acidic agent is added (as has been hypothesized could alter vaginal state enough to prevent conception - unsubstanciated), it would not effect the bacteria
• in truth, douching can alter the state of the vaginal so greatly that natural bacteria used to fight and ward off diseases are destroyed, leaving the female more prone to contracting any and all present STDs
  

The Chicken Ranch was the longest continually operating brothel in the US, at 129 years

Going rate for services about time of closing: $15 for 15 minutes
More expensive options were added in the sixties when Miss Edna took over

Each girl would see 5 to 20 customers a day; for a $300/wk result after Edna took her cut

During 1972 investigation, State intelligence documented 484 persons entering the premises over the course of 2 days. If all of these are customers, and there are 16 girls, the result is over 15 customers per girl per day.

Est. 75% to Edna for taxes, insurance, utilities, food (two meals a day), weekly doctor visits, two attendants, maids, a cook, and laundry bills.

It has been estimated that the ranch had an income of more than $500,000 a year.

 All new employees were fingerprinted and photographed by Sheriff Flournoy before they could start. A criminal record of any kind prevented employment. Previous to this procedure, the sheriff would present the current state of the brothel to the Fayette County Grand Jury twice every year.

Many allegations that the Ranch helped to find criminals by learning of gossip and reporting suspicious characters or men that boasted of their deeds while drunk at night.

 

It's easy to look at the closing of the Chicken Ranch as the product of one man's moral crusade. This is not the case at all.
First, if you have explored any of the entries or links concerning Marvin Zindler, you already know that he was more inspired by the breaking of the law than the the law's moral content.
Second, it was the state government that wanted the 'bawdy house' closed even more than Zindler or the 'Jesus Bunch' did.

1972 - It all starts here when Texas State intelligence officers with the Department of Public Safety begin investigations about organized crime in Texas.

As a matter of course they investigate the Chicken Ranch, as well as another brothel ('The Wagon Wheel') in a neighboring county.

The filed report says that over the course of Nov 17 and 18, 1972, there were 484 persons entering the Ranch's premises. The estimated revenue of the brothel was 1.5 million dollars a year. Locals deny these figures.

Flornoy reportedly threatens the officers with a shotgun for investigating the Chicken Ranch

Because of the report linking the Chicken Ranch to an organized prostitution ring, the Texas Rangers ask Sheriff Flournoy to close the brothel.

Flournoy speaks to Colonel Spiers about this order. Spiers instructs Flournoy to close it for a short while due to the upcoming election.

The Chicken Ranch seemingly closes for a few weeks, but still accepts regular customers at the back door.

1973 - the Chicken Ranch issue resumes when the Texas Attorney General John Hill hears of the investigative report and continued operation of the Chicken Ranch.

Hill tells Fayette county District Attorney Oliver Kitzman to close the Chicken Ranch, showing him the report and figures.

Kitzman refuses, saying that its operation does not bother his constituients and therefore it does not bother him.

After the converstion with Kitzman ends, Hill resolves to have the media contacted about the Chicken Ranch and its abuses of the law.

A phone call is made to Marvin Zindler about this issue and he begins interviews and research.

Correspondent Larry Conners and photographer Frank Ambrose stake out the Chicken Ranch, getting footage of costomers, the girls, and general activity.

They see about 3 dozen customers enter in the space of about an hour.

They return to the Chicken Ranch the next day and Edna Milton comes out and asks them to leave, saying she runs a boarding house.

Zindler speaks to Kitzman, who says that he knew of its existance but had not closed it down due to a problem with law enforcement.

Zindler talks with Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe and gives him the investigative reports.

Briscoe says he will discuss this with the Attornoy General and get further information from the Dept. of Public Safety.

July 1973 - Zindler airs his report on ABC13 Eyewitness News, containing all the information he had gleaned.

August 1, 1973 - the Chicken Ranch has closed its doors for the last time, a week after the airing of the news program.

Governor Briscoe announces, "Colonel Spiers, I'm sure, has advised you that Sheriff Flournoy today advused the Department of Public Safety that in response to a call on Monday that the Chicken Ranch at La Grange is permanently closed."

August 2, 1973 - the Gov was to meet with Flournoy about the Chicken Ranch situation, but dismissed the meeting after hearing that the Ranch was already closed and the girls gone.

This is depressing for the people of La Grange, who have circulated a petition in support of the Chicken Ranch since the airing of the report.
Most of the town's 3,000 population had signed the petition, including mothers and wives.

1844 - Mrs. Swine brings 3 young women from New Orleans to hotel near saloon in La Grange, TX

186? - Mrs. Swine and prostitute Tillie ran out of town as supposed Yankee sympathizers

Records were not kept between the 1860's and 1905, but it seems as if Mrs. Swine's girls and Miss Jessie's crossed paths to keep the prostitute tradition going.

1905 - Miss Jessie buys a house in Waco, TX. Good relations with law, respectable. Later avoids it being shut down by selling that land and buying more land just outside La Grange. It is here that the Chicken Ranch will be made.

1917 - Miss Jessie creates "middle-management" positions to handle community relations. They send letter and packages to soldiers in the Great World War

1930's - start accepting chickens during the Great Depression in lieu of cash

1940's - send letters and packages to soldiers in World War II

1946 - T.J. Flournoy elected sheriff

1952 - Edna Milton (a recent hire) takes over for Miss Jessie, buying the estate. Miss Jessie retires to her sister's house due to declining health issues.

1961 - Miss Jessie (80) dies in San Antonio

1960's - the Ranch reaches its 16 girl maximum. 'Exotic extras' are added.

1972 - the State runs an investigation into the Chicken Ranch and possibly mafia connections

July 1973 - Marvin Zindler runs report on KTRK-TV about The Chicken Ranch

August 1, 1973 - The Chicken Ranch has officially closed and all women have left

1973 - Band ZZ Top release album with song "La Grange" on it about The Chicken Ranch. It seems to have been written before the airing of the story, but released afterward.

1974 - Zindler comes to run a follow-up and is attacked by Sheriff Flournoy. This results in a 3mil lawsuit, the sheriff destroyed the video but not the audio, which was broadcast on tv.

April 1974 - Larry L. King's article on 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' runs in Playboy

1977 - Houston lawyers buy the building and open a Chicken Ranch restaurant with a largely chicken menu and Edna as its hostess.

October 20, 1977 - Larry L. King's muscial opens at The Actor's Studio in New York City

1978 - The Chicken Ranch Restaurant closes; building and furnishings auctioned off

June 19, 1978 - play open on Broadway at the 46^th St Theatre

1980 - Sheriff Flournoy resigns

1982 - Film of musical featuring Bert Reynolds and Dolly Parton premieres

1982 - Entrepreneur buys rights and opens brothel of the same name and practice in Nevada, close to Las Vegas.

March 27, 1982 - Broadway show closes after 1584 performances

October 1982 - Sheriff Flournoy dies

July 9, 2007 - Marvin Zindler dies