The Harvey Girls
If you’re a fan of American historical romances, you’ve read your share of stories about women headed west on wagon trains. However, most women on the wagon trains were married, at least when they pulled out of St. Joseph. Single women were discouraged from joining the trains, since they didn’t have the manpower needed to keep track of the animals, hunt for food, and protect themselves from marauding Indians. It wasn’t until the advent of rail transportation that women began migrating west in large numbers, either as mail-order brides, or to join family already established.
Rail transportation from coast to coast was achieved at about the same time a young man named Fred Harvey, who worked in a restaurant in New York City, decided to change direction in his professional life. Just fifteen when he emigrated to America from Liverpool, England, he worked in a succession of restaurants, learning the business from the ground up. He began to notice a need caused by the railroads. Most of them didn’t have dining cars, and the lunch counters along the rail routes were deplorable. Although there were dining stops scheduled approximately every 100 miles apart, the stops were only an hour in duration–hardly enough time to find a restaurant, order a meal, and have it prepared and eaten.
Fred Harvey saw an opportunity.
Drawing on his restaurant experience, he pitched the idea of a chain of restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail line to the company president, Charles Morse. He loved the idea of creating restaurants along the rail line, which followed the Santa Fe Trail and fully supported the Harvey restaurant concept. Harvey wanted to switch things up, though, from the way most restaurants worked at the time. Together with his friend and manager, Tom Gable, they decided to not employ black males to work in the restaurants, as was the current practice, but to use women–specifically young white single women between the ages of eighteen and thirty.
At a time when, as the old joke goes, there were “no ladies west of Dodge City and no women west of Albuquerque,” Fred Harvey and Tom Gable took a gamble that importing women from the east would have a settling influence on the local men who worked in the restaurants and on the railroad as well as those traveling on the railroad. They figured the cowboys who roamed the territory would behave better in the company of women, and the travelers who left the train for a quick meal would feel at home.
The first Harvey House opened in the Topeka, KS depot station in 1876. With a focus on cleanliness, reasonable prices, good food and service, the Topeka Harvey House became the training ground for his new female recruits, who answered his newspaper ads and came to Topeka. Word began to spread east that becoming a Harvey Girl was a good way to see the country, and perhaps, find a husband. In order to qualify to become a Harvey Girl, the women needed to have an 8th grade education or better, have high moral standards, have good manners and be neat and articulate. In exchange for a good wage of $17.50 per month, plus free room, board and uniforms, the girls had to sign a contract to work for Harvey for six months, agree not to marry during that time, and abide by Harvey’s rules and regulations. By the late 1880s, there was a Harvey House every 100 miles from Topeka to California employing thousands of young women. At its peak there were 84 Harvey Houses, and they continued in operation until the 1930s.
These women were never called waitresses. They were Harvey Girls. They were given few options on where to live, how to dress and when to be in bed. If one of them did attract the eye of a gentleman, he had to meet with Harvey’s approval before they could date. At the end of their contracts, many of these women elected to stay in the west, and became part of the civilization of the country
.
That is not to say these girls had an easy time of things. In some places where there was a Harvey establishment, rumors abounded that the Harvey Girls were really prostitutes with white aprons, instead of being the hardworking waitresses that they really were. In fact, in towns where ladies of the evening had establishments, they looked upon the Harvey girls as competition, and tensions between the two groups existed.
It took a special kind of woman to answer the call to become a Harvey Girl. They needed spunk and independence, and a dedication to do a job well. Fred Harvey ran the company until his death in 1901, at which time his sons took over the company, which continued to operate until the 1930s.
A Fred Harvey museum can be found in Harvey’s former residence in Leavenworth, KS.
Fans of old movies might remember the 1946 Judy Garland musical about The Harvey Girls.
What a terrific story; thanks for sharing it. I grew up in Kansas, so next time I’m back I’ll try to see Mr. Harvey’s home. It would be fascinating to trace the old locations; Topeka, maybe Manhattan, Salina, Hays, Goodland? Great stuff.
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Loved the post, Becky! The movie trailer was an especially nice touch. I’m going to track down the movie because it is one that I haven’t seen; although, I do know the song. 🙂
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The movie is great fun! That’s how I first came to know of the Harvey Girls. I always wanted to eat there….oh well. Thanks for the great post!
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Thanks for stopping by, Piper. Always nice to see a friendly face. I’ve been fascinated by The Harvey Girls since I lived in the southwest many years ago. Even if we can no longer eat there, maybe we can get to the museum someday.
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Thanks for enlightening me on the Harvey Girls. What a fascinating subject.
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We had a Harvey House at the Grand Rapids MI airport when I was a teen. I knew the history and was always thrilled to eat there. Even though I had to use my imagination (wasn’t I lucky :)), I could feel the connection to those young women braving a new land and making a life for themselves. Great post Becky.
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Thanks, Rue, and how lucky you were to have been able to eat at a Harvey House!
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What a wonderful post. I never knew any of this information. Thanks for sharing the information and photos.
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It’s a fascinating era in Americana. I’m planning to dive more deeply into it.
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What an interesting piece of history! And, I’m going to look up the movie, also. Wouldn’t this make a fabulous story? I’m callin’ dibs! 😉
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Not if I beat you to it, Loretta!
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We visited a Harvey House in Dodge City KS. They use it as a convention center and the local community theater hosts dinner plays. We were fortunate to be able to attend. So in a way they are keeping the place alive as an entertainment and eating place for travelers.
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How lucky you were to be able to attend! Just thinking of the events that took place there when it was a Harvey House restaurant gives me the shivers. I’m glad it’s being preserved.
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What a fun post! I didn’t know this bit of history. I’d have probably signed up to be a Harvey Girl, and enjoyed every minute of it!
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I’m with you, Susabelle. Would love to have had the experience.
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Fun post, as usual, Becky.I don’t think I ever heard of this. Keep us informed.
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I loved that movie. This is a brilliant topic, Becky
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And it was so much fun to delve into! I bought a book years ago that consisted of interviews with real Harvey girls, but I never did more than skim it. Who knew that years later, it would come in so handy?
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I love reading your snippets of history, tales that otherwise might go forgotten.
Thank,
Tema Merback
Writing as Belle Ami
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Thanks Tema/Belle. We love digging into our collective history and finding these nuggets that time has forgotten. Glad you’re enjoying them.
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