While researching a feature story on the history of brothels and sex work in Pittsburgh, I tried to wrap my head around Mae Scheible’s incredible story. Her name appears in several overviews of vice history in Pittsburgh. Yet, her story (and place in local and national history) has been eclipsed by legends attached to another well-known Pittsburgh madam, Nettie Gordon.

As I dug deeper into Scheible’s story, I realized there was a lot more to her than the existing published record. Researching someone like Scheible is a challenge: to say that she had a fraught relationship with the truth would be an understatement.

The article about brothels appeared in NEXTpittsburgh on August 29, 2024. While working on the article, I began building a storymap to better illustrate Scheible’s long career and colorful life. The storymap’s first draft is now live. It’s going to take some more time to follow additional leads and update it (and likely correct it) with new information as I collect it from remote locations throughout the United States.

Click on the storymap link below: