Harvey Girls
When railway
food was at it's worst, and passengers at their wits end, Fred Harvey stepped
in and made the railroad experience a much nicer way to travel. Fred Harvey
started out small, buying and transforming depots across the Santa Fe line,
and soon Harvey Houses dominated the way train passengers ate en route.
A major improvement in railway meals came with the service that Fred Harvey implemented. Passengers no longer had to worry that they wouldn't get a chance to eat the food they paid for before getting off the train. Orders were taken on the train, and sent ahead to the station, where food was ready to eat as the passengers exited the train.
The biggest change of all was how the passengers were served, waitresses who were trained to serve people fast and efficiently. The Harvey Girls who are some times forgotten are a key factor in the taming of the railway. (more...)
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NATIONAL HARVEY GIRL SYMPOSIUM A SUCCESS! The Symposium was well attended by many groups, Harvey-related museums, authors, family members and interested parties. Letters of recognition and congratulations were received from First Ladies Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Roselyn Carter, and Lady Bird Johnson, Senators, Congresswomen, a phone call from California First Lady Maria Shriver, and a delightful letter from Angela Lansbury who co-starred in the Harvey Girl movie with Judy Garland. Attendees came from all over the United States, some as far away as Massachusetts. (more...) |
