Who Was Lotta Crabtree?
The “Madonna” of her day, remembered for her enormous talents, sparkling personality, and marketing savvy, Lotta Crabtree, was a protégé of the infamous Lola Montez, began her career as a copper-haired girl who wowed the miners at San Francisco’s Bella Union and elsewhere in the Mother Lode. She grew up to be a famous actress in her own right, toasted on Broadway, winning awards. Her unique gift to the city -the cast-iron monstrosity known as Lotta’s Fountain located at Montgomery and Market- earned her a permanent place in our City’s heart. Who Was Lola Montez? One of the more colorful characters of the 19th century was Lola Montez, who claimed to be a Spanish dancer, although she was actually Irish. She was best known for her “Spider Dance”, a sort of tarantella which involved shaking rubber tarantulas out of her clothing in such a way as to provide generous views of her person. Who Was Oofty-Goofy? This character started out as “The Wild Man of Borneo” in a Barbary Coast sideshow. W
