In January of 1900, two sisters named Ada and Minna were busy redecorating at 2131-2133 South Dearborn Street. They used silk curtains, oriental rugs, mirrored ceilings, mahogany tables, gold rimmed china and silver dinnerware, perfumed fountains in every room, a $15,000 gold-leafed piano, and $650 gold cuspidors. Their goal? To build the fanciest brothel in the world.

It opened on February 1, 1900. They called it "The Everleigh Club."

This resort (as they called houses of ill repute at the time) was the most famous in Chicago, and Chicago was known as the most wide-open vice-filled city in America. People came from all over the world to visit the Everleigh Club.

The 11-year run of the Everleigh Sisters just happens to coincide with the best era in Chicago Cubs history.

The Cubs were still known as the Orphans in 1900 when the Club opened, although they featured a couple of young catchers who would be key members of the championship teams of '07 and '08, Frank Chance (who would later take over the team and move to first) and Johnny Kling. They also featured a pitcher named Brakeman Jack Taylor and another pitcher who would become a Hall of Famer (and owner of the Washington Senators), Clark Griffith.

At that time, the Cubs (or Orphans) played their games at West Side Grounds (now occupied by the University of Illinois at Chicago). It was only a short street car ride from the ballpark to the Levee (Chicago's notorious red light district), and many fans enjoying partaking in both.

While the Cubs were building their dynasty, there were a couple of well-publicized notorious events at the Everleigh Club.

*On March 3, 1902, Kaiser Wilhelm's brother visited Chicago to pick up a ship for the Kaiser. The very pro-German high society of Chicago sponsored numerous events for Prince Heinrich, but there was really only one place he wanted to go--and he was to give a full report to the Kaiser when he returned--the Everleigh Club. The sisters threw a huge party for the prince, featuring dancing, dining, and a very bizarre recreation of the dismemberment of Zeus' son. During one of the dances, a prostitute's slipper came off and spilled champagne. A member of the prince's entourage poured the champagne into the shoe and drank it, and a tradition was born.

While the Prussians were drinking out of shoes in Chicago, the Cubs were in spring training--about to begin their first season officially known as the Cubs. A few more key members of the championship team were now in place. Joe Tinker was the shortstop, Jimmy Slagle was in left field, Johnny Evers was on the bench, and Carl "The Human Icicle" Lundgren was in the starting rotation.

*On November 22, 1905, Marshall Field Jr., the son of the department store king, died of a gunshot wound. Although the newspapers reported he was shot at home (which still stands on Prairie Avenue--shown here), and that it was an accident, the young Field was a frequent visitor to the Everleigh Club, and there is evidence that he was there the night of the shooting. Whether it was true or not, the entire city of Chicago believed the rumor.

The winter after Marshall Field Jr. died a notorious death, the Cubs acquired the final pieces of the puzzle, and went on their championship run (1906-1910). That following 1906 season the Cubs would have the best record in the history of baseball. Led by great pitching (Mordecai Brown, Ed Reulbach, Jack Pfiester and Orval Overall), and maybe the best-fielding infield in history (Tinkers, Evers, Chance, and the under-appreciated 3B Harry Steinfeldt), the Cubs won the National League. The same team won the World Series in 1907 and 1908, and went to the series again in 1910.

The Everleigh Club flourished during the Cubs greatest era, and it came to a close just as the Cubs winning era ended. The Mayor shut them down for good on October 25, 1911, because they published a brochure, which he considered too blatant (Photo: from the brochure). The Cubs played their last game that season only two weeks before the Everleigh Club closed—and although they finished just 3 games behind the Giants (in second place), they wouldn't again sniff the World Series for another seven years, and by then, every single member of that Championship club would be gone.

(Photo Credit: Marshall Field Jr. house/Hadassah Bullis)