23/07/2025
Born around 1829, Eleanore Dumont—later known by her colorful nickname, Madame Mustache—carved out an unforgettable place in the rugged world of the American West. A mysterious figure with a French accent and an unmistakable air of elegance, she was among the first professional female blackjack dealers and players in a time and place where women were rarely seen at the gaming table, let alone running one. With a sharp mind for cards and a cool demeanor, she earned both admiration and wariness in the dusty mining camps that dotted California, Nevada, and beyond.
Eleanore set up her first gambling parlor in Nevada City, California, calling it “Vingt-et-Un,” the French name for blackjack. Patrons, lured in by the novelty of a well-dressed, refined woman dealing cards, quickly learned that she was no novelty act—she was a serious gambler with an iron will and little tolerance for cheaters. As her fame spread, so did her travels. From town to boomtown, she followed the gold rushes and silver strikes, her presence always marked by grace, grit, and the faint shadow of a mustache that gave rise to her unforgettable moniker.
For more than three decades, Madame Mustache lived by her wits in a world of shifting fortunes. Her life was one of both glamour and solitude, a blend of success at the tables and hardship on the trail. Though her story ended in obscurity and sorrow in 1879, her legend endures as a symbol of daring independence and unorthodox success. In a time when the West was wild and uncertain, Eleanore Dumont made her own rules—and played them with flair.
