Janie’s Ranch

Janie’s Ranch

Located on Nevada’s Highway 6 between Tonopah, Nevada and Bishop California, Janie’s Ranch was a brothel constructed of multiple trailers parked side by side with connecting rooms and hallways.

The ranch was built on land occupied by a former railroad stop, located near a cluster of fresh water springs piped down to fuel the steam locomotives. During the ranch’s existence, that water was used to feed the lush foliage surrounding the property, as well as a pond that sat behind the owner’s house.

Former owner, Betty, wanted to house the women in separate rooms than those they entertained in, reserving one wing of the trailer complex for living and bathing, and the other for entertaining. It’s also rumored that she had cameras and intercoms installed throughout the entertaining rooms, and would yell through the intercoms at particularly disagreeable customers.

The entertaining rooms ranged from typical square rooms with beds and televisions to rooms that were once outfitted with shag floor and wall carpeting, a round bed, and a heart-shaped jacuzzi tub.

Janie’s Ranch sat near several mines, and advertised throughout the nearby California towns of Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. Women from the ranch sometimes participated in the city of Bishop’s annual Mule Days Parade. A dirt airstrip also remains adjacent to the ranch which facilitated the visits of out-of-town customers.

Janie’s Ranch closed sometime in the early 1990’s.

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The facade of the Ranch.

A typical entertaining bedroom at Janie’s Ranch.

Hallway through the entertaining wing.

A support frame for a round bed in one of the entertaining suites.

The hole and piping for a heart-shaped jacuzzi sit in a room that was outfitted with shag carpeting covering the floor and walls.

Emphasizing cheap no-frills construction for a quick financial return, Janie’s, like many older brothels, were trailers hauled into place and left.

Behind plywood exteriors you can see that this trailer literally sat on wood and cinder blocks.

Unlike most Nevada brothels, the women lived and entertained in separate rooms. This bathtub is in the wing where workers lived.

The parlor.

A view of the multiple trailers and additions of Janie’s Ranch.

Clear night skies over Janie’s Ranch.

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