The gold rush hit Deadwood, South Dakota when she was around 15, and Dora promoted herself to Madam and began operating a brothel.
[2] DuFran preferred having pretty girls work in her brothel, but the selection in that part of the west was extremely limited.
[citation needed] She picked up several girls who arrived in Deadwood via the wagon train led by Charlie Utter.
DuFran's other brothels in South Dakota and Montana were located in Lead, Miles City, Sturgis, and Deadwood.
After her husband's death, she moved the business to Rapid City, South Dakota, where she continued having success as a brothel owner.