There was a really good story about the AT&SF railroad and how they helped open Harvey Houses across the southwest of America. It was a CBS Sunday Morning piece. Check it out wherever you get visual content.
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I saw that this morning. It was very well done. I assume it will be available later on the CBS website or YouTube. I got a kick out of the convention for Fred Harvey / Harvey House fans. There's a club for everything.
I watched it, too, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I wanted more, that was for sure. It afforded a valuable perspective I had not known.
FrankM
Moonson - if you want more then the book to read is The Harvey Girls: Women who opened the West - Lesley Poling-Kempes - it is a good history of the business and it has lots of first person accounts of working in the Harvey House system.
From the book: "For a few months it looked as though civilization were going to stop short in her onward march at the capital of Kansas, and that the westward course of empire...would end at the same spot. Travelers positively declined to go further once they had eaten with Fred Harvey. Traffic backed up, and it became necessary for the Santa Fe to open similar houses at other points along its right of way in order that the West might not be settled in just one spot."
Back in the 1990's, Santa Fe ran a cross-country employee appreciation train pulled by 4-8-4 3751. At that time, there were still a number of former Harvey Girls alive, and they were made part of the celebration. The railroad furnished Harvey House uniforms for the ladies. They were delightful and had many good stories.
I ate breakfast between the NB LONE STAR and WB SB LTD. in the 1970's at Newton KS. I think that wad a Harvey House.
I believe the Harvey Girls piece had aired once before. I don't believe they mentioned that today, but I've noticed that also before (not mentioning it is a repeated story).
Tom
Here is the CBS Story on the Harvey Girls.......
by: Michelle Miller: CBS News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvOuBBIZxmA
Published on Feb 24, 2019