On Mill Street in Grass Valley, CA. is a modest house that was once the home of Lola Montez. She billed herself during the early years of the California Gold Rush as a Spanish dancer, but that was a false claim.
The fiery colorful Lola was actually Irish. She learned to dance in Madrid, Spain and perfected a sensual dance known as the Tarantula, where she pretended to get away from plastic spiders with her writhing moves during which she shed her clothes to tantalize her largely male audience.
Lola was a handful.
She married and scandalized the King of Prussia, causing him to lose his crown.
After drinking, she would sometimes run naked in the streets, laughing at the world and blowing kisses to the public.
She gambled, had numerous lovers, and loved animals and children whom she would fiercely defend. She was a dead shot with a pistol and would not hesitate to use it if the occasion demanded.
Grass Valley was a boom town after gold was discovered in California in the mid 18th century. Lola was popular with the miners, including the Spanish settlers to California in those years.
She somehow acquired a bear that she christened Lola Montez and would feature the bear in fights with bulls and panthers. The bloody battles were held in amphitheaters, saloons and open areas where people would bet on the animals. Montez handled the money and made out like a bandit.
Her house on Mill Street was often filled with animals. She had rabbits, birds and fighting roosters that she would not hesitate to feature in fights.
Lola traveled throughout the West dancing the tarantula and luring male suitors with her fluttering eyelids and promises of passion. There were many battles for her companionship. A born flirt, Lola would pretend to be interested in a suitor while making eyes at his rival. The men knew this and didn't care. They only had eyes for Lola and the fantasies they hoped their relationship would provide.
She was married a minimum of four times. When she lived in Bavaria, a mob tried to run her out of town because of her scandalous behavior. She sent the crowd scattering by firing her pistol into the crowd. Her husband, the king, came to her rescue and even agreed to give up his crown and the throne for her hand.
His new found poverty didn't appeal to Lola. She left him for the greener pastures of Grass Valley.
After her death at age 39, her house was purchased by the Episcopal church and later was owned by the California Historical Society which charged an admission for people to tour it.
Her celebrated fighting bear reportedly never lost a fight. Once it even bit Lola on the hand. She forgave the bear for the bite and always treated it affectionately in public, saying she trusted her bear more than she did some of her male friends.
A poster from the era had the following graphic words:
'GREAT ATTRACTION at the Iowa Hill Amphitheatre. PANTHER AND BEAR FIGHT. The proprietors have procured a LARGE AND FEROCIOUS PANTHER caught near the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and purchased THE CELEBRATED GRIZZLY BEAR LOLA MONTEZ which they will fight on Sunday, Nov. 5.'
The poster added that a number of fighting game chickens would be available for wagering. The event would conclude with a match fight between two fighting dogs, Union and Star.
Another fight featured a dog named Major with $500 attached to its neck challenging any dog of its weight, with the winner to claim the prize.
Lola Montez -- the dancer, not the bear -- is buried in a small cemetery in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Geno 6 years ago Newbie
Boredom causes some people to do strange things. Thanks for the feedback.
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Vanenhox 6 years ago Sr. Member
At first I could not believe the details of the story. Particularly that she married a king who gave up his throne for her, but if wikipedia is to be believed it is all true. One wonders how some people perceive the world and what their alternative philosophy of life must be? I am just a boring suburbanite so I cannot...
At first I could not believe the details of the story. Particularly that she married a king who gave up his throne for her, but if wikipedia is to be believed it is all true. One wonders how some people perceive the world and what their alternative philosophy of life must be? I am just a boring suburbanite so I cannot quite do more than speculate on how differently people like Lola must view life and the world. Nice tale...as they say you cannot (make this stuff up) write this stuff or truth is stranger than fiction...
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Kristen Munoz 6 years ago Jr. Member
wow what a lady ! thats a great story , it must of have been much more for her being so wild in those days i cant imagine there be many women to live so free and just got to say you go girl !
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Geno 6 years ago Newbie
Lola was pretty much a loner except for her bear and her husbands. Thanks for the feedback, Jade.
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jade 6 years ago Super Hero
She must have had a lot of insecurities. Sounds like everything in her life, including the men was one big show to the end. Hopefully it gave her what she needed, but it doesn't sound like it. What a shame to die so young. It certainly is an interesting story about an interesting woman. What about her family Geno?...
She must have had a lot of insecurities. Sounds like everything in her life, including the men was one big show to the end. Hopefully it gave her what she needed, but it doesn't sound like it. What a shame to die so young. It certainly is an interesting story about an interesting woman. What about her family Geno? Do you know anything about her parents or siblings, if she had any?
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Geno 6 years ago Newbie
Thanks, Sydney, and Mil E Na. I agree with both of you, even though your compliments made me blush.
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Sydney 6 years ago Almighty Member
Wild one. ;) Great article Geno.
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Mil E Na 6 years ago Full Member
Lola Montez was a very interesting woman... there is no doubt about that! :)
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