Who were the Harvey Girls?

For my brand new series, Aprons & Veils, I decided to write about a little known slice of American history, the Harvey Girls. Now, whenever I tell people I am writing about them, they usually assume they are associated with an old time saloon, so I thought I’d write a brief post on these brave women.

Who were the Harvey Girls?

Wanted, “Young women, 18 to 30 years of age, of good moral character, attractive and intelligent to waitress in Harvey Eating Houses on the Santa Fe in the West. Wages, $17.50 per month with room and board. Liberal tips customary. Experience not necessary. Write Fred Harvey, Union Depot, Kansas City Missouri. ” 

In the 1890’s, there were not many respectable jobs for women, so when Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants, single women without an education or in need of earning their own way were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything but food as a service. These ladies were not just ordinary waitresses. They became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie and exceptional service with complete propriety along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroads.

While the East had limited jobs for unmarried women, the West proved to hold more opportunity for young women and Fred Harvey was among the first to offer these young women a chance to work without being suspected of immoral behavior.

What set them apart? As Harvey Girls, the young ladies were expected to follow a rigid code of conduct set by Fred Harvey himself. They were to live in the Harvey House and to respect curfew. If they were caught out and about after curfew, they could be dismissed.

They were not allowed to flirt and to avoid the idea that the Harvey Girls offered anything but food service, Fred Harvey designed a uniform to dress them as modestly as possible in austere black dresses from toe to high collar, giant white aprons and large white hair bows. The Harvey Girls were not allowed to wear make up or jewelry and could only wear the approved Harvey uniform. All of this was done to protect the most important thing that a woman had, her reputation.

(Harvey Girls in uniform)

With these rules in place, the women were given their independence while still maintaining their good name and place in society under the protective, fatherly arm of Fred Harvey.

(Fred Harvey)

While the Harvey House was built to serve the needs of the passengers on the rail to encourage tourism in the west, the railroad workers and local townsmen also dined at the restaurant, but usually at the lunch counter. At a time when men filled towns and women were scarce, inevitably, a railroad worker or townsman would express interest in marrying a Harvey Girl. In order to marry, she would need to fulfill her work contract or risk paying a fine of a month of salary. The fine was set in place to insure that Fred Harvey would have enough workers and that he wouldn’t simply train a girl to have her shipped to a town of bachelors and leave him without a waitress.

Harvey Girls Romanticized.  Tracie Peterson’s The Westward Chronicles is one my favorite Harvey Girl series and inspired me to write my own stories of fictional Harvey Girl heroines.

And even a movie by the beloved Judy Garland, which I watched countless times as a child and no doubt sparked my interest into reading Tracie Peterson’s books!

There is so much more I could write about these fascinating ladies and their contributions to society, but I hope you enjoyed this taste of history on the Harvey Girls!

Check out my brand new Harvey Girl Historical Romance Series, Aprons & Veils:

Aprons & Veils Series, Book One

The Finding of Miss Fairfield

New Mexico, 1899

When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .

Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico.

Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will.

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