Professional Gambler

Santa Fe Stakes.

In the 1830s and 1840s Dona Gertrudis Barcelo, known as La Tules, owned and ran the most fashionable gambling parlor in Santa Fe (then part of Mexico). Born into an elite family, La Tules married at age twenty-three and chose a career as a professional gambler. She specialized in dealing monte, a card game. According to one traveler, she was regarded as the best monte dealer in Santa Fe.

Fashion.

When dealing cards, Barcelo dressed simply, but on other occasions she favored expensive silk fashions. She also wore gold rings and heavy gold necklaces. When she chose to wear the long gowns popular in the United States, American traders claimed that her influence led other women to adopt the same styles.

Status.

To the surprise of American visitors, La Tules's career as a gambler did not hurt her social...