Research Question

Page from the Dictionary of Americanisms

This page is an exerpt from the Dictionary of Americanisms that shows the first recorded definition of the word hooker.

A look at Corlears Hook

This is a photo of the neighborhood know as Corlears Hook. It was an area infamous for its many brothels and bars into the 20th century. Sailors and factory workers would frequent this place as a way to relax while on shore leave or after work. It is thought by some to be the origin of the word hooker, as it meant someone from the hook.

Pictured here is an Ngram between the words hooker, prostitute, whore, and harlot. It shows that starting around 1885 there was an increase in the use of the word hooker in texts. This shows that the word hooker began to become more widely used after the Civil War.

General Joseph Hooker was the general in charge of the Army of the Potomac in Washington D.C. Some linguists attibute the word hooker to his last name since he gave his men free roam of the red light district known as Murder Bay. It later became known as Hookres Division, or just The Division up until its destruction in the early part of the 20th century.