Sex on the River at The Sanctuary at Sandy Plaza

Portland, Oregon 1880No bridges to cross the Willamette River - only barges, ships, scows.Not many opportunities for women to own or run a business except a bar, hotel, or brothel.Meet Nancy Boggs. Divorced mother without many prospects.With few dollars left she decides to purchase a scow, today it would be equivalent to a medium-sized barge. Having a lower deck, she then had a two-story building built on its deck which would contain a saloon/dance hall and the top floor, rooms.It is believed that Nancy was the first to open a floating bordello - at least west of the Mississippi River.She knew her business, but there was one slight problem - she kept two sets of books - one for the authorities to see, the other was the true amount taken in and paid. Why? Nancy's scow went between three cities Portland, East Portland, and Albina and each wanted a piece of the liquor revenues - Nancy was not going to share any more that she felt was justified.Sex on the River - a musical based on a true story - with nine original songs and of course the Can-Can!