Doña Tules, born Maria Gertrudis Barceló, grew up in Sonora, Mexico at the beginning  of the 19th century and moved with her family to the Northern Territory of New Mexico when she was a young woman.

She was a few years older than her husband, Manuel Sisneros, and several months pregnant at the time of their marriage. Their marriage license addressed them as “Don” and “Doña,” showing their high status. Tules was incredibly independent (which was not uncommon amongst Mexican women at the time). She kept her maiden name, guaranteed all rights to her property, and decided to learn how to gamble. 

A few years later, after her husband had been fined for operating a gambling salon for miners, Tules, opened up an opulent salon in the center of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Located by what is now known as Burro Alley, Tules’ gambling house was decorated with lush fabrics and imported chandeliers and provided guests with brandy, wine, and sipping chocolate. During the 1830s and 40s, the space attracted many Americans traveling along the Santa Fe Trail. Due to her business’s popularity, Tules was subject to scathing comments and rumors, making it difficult for historians to get a clear picture of the formidable madame. Some observers noted that she was “the supreme queen of refinement and fashion,” while others nickednamed her “the queen of sin.” Some noted her beautiful long red hair, while others mentioned her old broken teeth. Some called her a “common prostitute” and claimed she was having an affair with the governor. The negative reviews are most likely false, but regardless, Tules couldn’t read English, so she was immune to the controversy, and worked hard to keep her reputation superb.

Tules was the best dealer of the card game monte, and she made a fortune working at her salon. Before the Americans invaded for the Mexican-American war, there was little judgment about a woman saloon owner who provided for her family, and payments were made with gold dust and gold nuggets. When American soldiers entered Santa Fe, they frequented her “hall of final ruin,” while gossip spread in American newspapers. By the late 1840s, Tules was the wealthiest woman in Santa Fe and due to her charitable nature, she financially assisted the Americans during the Mexican-American. Despite her funds and her help foiling a conspiracy against the American Army, Tules was still labeled as an immoral Mexican.

At the time of her death in 1852, Tules had $10,000 and several houses in her name, which were split amongst her adopted children and siblings. With her fortune, she was able to secure herself a fancy funeral. Its opulence was, of course, criticized, yet attended by the whole town. Doña Tules’s donations to the Santa Fe bishop granted her a burial where the iconic Cathedral sits today.