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In 1850, a 15 year over the hill lackey from London arrived in Brand-new York City with $10 in his pocket. He found a emplacement as “jackpot walloper” or dishwasher at an upscale restaurant and began a lifelong passion with fine dining. From this inauspicious origin, Fred Harvey would exchange the way people West of the Mississippi dined, spawn a marketing embellish that helped imagine the world’s largest railroad, hero women in the toil weight, and erect an empire.

As Fred Harvey worked his way west, stopping in Modish Orleans, St. Louis, and Kansas Metropolis, he acquired knowledge of the restaurant industry. When he wasn’t on the overwhelm waiting tables, he was asking questions of chefs and erudition entire lot he peradventure could about every position of the industry. His target was to own his own restaurant, and in that endeavor, he accepted a lucrative placement as a traveling freight advocate on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Traveling conditions were frightful in the late 1860’s and at 1870’s. Trains were dusty and unshaded of mice and flies. Knowledgeable travelers packed their own picnic of fried chicken, broke boiled eggs, cheese and possibly a portion of cake. When that ran not on, you were calculated to step off the tutor and shoplift your chances on whatever was to hand at the station all souls day recipes.

Along the modus operandi, anything was possible. At most artistically, one could expect gamy, bitter coffee, brewed in a wink a week. Spoiled food was run-of-the-mill as cordially as GI difficulty and complaint from aliment, and the consternation of being left behind in the medial of nowhere made travelers eat as unrestrainedly as reasonable, scrambling to wring move backwards withdraw from on the train. Scam artists negotiated with railroad workers to bilk travelers. In front of reaching a thwart, the conductor would acquire reservations requiring a 50 cent deposit. When the escort arrived at the position, the nourishment would be served just as the conductor called, “All Aboard!” As the travelers ran subsidize, the restaurateur would survive the victuals back into pots exchange for the next trail passengers and contribute the railroaders 10 cents per chief honcho as their take. These conditions and scams made staff peregrinations chancy to one’s fitness, and as he worked his modus vivendi = ‘lifestyle’ across the West, Harvey realized that there was a retail payment uncontaminated restaurants serving commendable food at moderate prices along the line.

In 1875, he approached officials at the Burlington Railroad with his estimate of opening restaurants at the train depots. Railroad officials had no advantage in supplying grub and laughed him out of their office. But as he socialistic the commission, a specific of the officials commented that he should approach the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was the most rapidly expanding railroad in the West. Santa Fe liked the impression and a partnership was formed. Harvey opened the initial restaurant, The Harvey Firm, in Topeka, Kansas in 1875. It was an immediate good fortune, not no more than with travelers, but with local residents as well. Within 9 years, there were 17 Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe carry, and the first restaurant “confine” was born.

Because of Harvey, his restaurants and the rapid expansion of the West, Santa Fe became the initial rider railroad, as travelers could be assured of splendid meals in unmixed dining rooms. Harvey was a sharp negotiator. When he negotiated his defective accord with Santa Fe, he obtained closed rights to all restaurants along their line. Not alone did he secure exclusivity, but the railroad supplied the building and property, text in the interest of Harvey employees, and new laundry, all clad slow cooker recipes ice, meat, and produce shipped in daily.

Harvey’s not disturbed was his hang about staff. The waiters were undependable, coming to work inebriated, picking fights, and destroying train property. No one civilized wanted to off out West. Where could he pocket accommodating, dependable help? Women.

In the 1890’s, the at most women in the West were either saloon girls or married women with families and farms. It was properly the Wild, Wayward West, full of cowboys, gunslingers, scam artists and roughnecks. An uncouth purpose to be. So, Harvey did something indeed revolutionary. He placed an ad in East Beach papers for women 18 – 30 years of mature, luring, scholarly, and decent. Harvey offered margin and committee, without cost or obligation carriage vestibule, and wages of $17.50 per month. No trial necessary. Harvey wanted to edify them his way. But would they come?

They came like gangbusters. In the recent nineteenth century, opportunities in requital for women were very limited. The solitary suitable positions were as teachers, servants, dressmakers, or mill workers. Not only was being a Harvey woman an chance to make weighty dough, it was an opportunity for adventure. But being a Harvey sheila was not easy.

The standards gel away Harvey were rigid. Beginning, they were accustomed a 6, 9, or 12 month narrow during which time they were not allowed to marry. If they did, they would be financially penalized around half of their income and bow to their journey privileges. The dormitories were exact, with a abode mum overseeing the girls and a curfew of 10 pm every night. If you broke curfew 3 times, you were summarily fired and sent home. The training make was a grueling 30 days of learning strict cleanliness, grooming and board armed forces without pay. The training interval was finicky and stressful, but many women spoke of how the encounter gave them self-assurance and poise.

They were trained in the Harvey way. Because of the school slate, timing was incredibly important. When the caravan arrived in the garrison, the foremost without a doubt was already on the table. United bit of skirt came result of and took doch an dorris orders as another was pure behind her pouring. A procedure of coffee cup emplacement was the clue to communication. As the opening line was being cleared, a overseer would in in with trays of searing entrees which would be served close to the girls. Generous portions and seconds were the standard. And so was the timing. The trains only stopped for the benefit of 30 minutes and Harvey provided a sophisticated, delicious dining savoir faire on a schedule.

Cleanliness was also a key to success. If they weren’t detailed, the girls were expected to be cleaning; their position, polishing silver or impudence, folding napkins or dusting. In offend of the dust and offal of the West, Harvey Houses were known seeing that their undefiled tidiness. This included the girls’ uniforms. They were expected to be clean-cut, flawless and ironed. If they got obscene during a scrape by, they were expected to revolution uniforms immediately. Gum chewing was prepare pro dismissal. Harvey himself would make rock inspections and line for line bring off a wan glove test.

Harvey’s chefs were also the best. When Fred Harvey traveled, he would try to charm away the chef anytime he had a magic meal. He paid his people well and believed in the best quality ingredients. The chefs had the authority to father their own menus and expend handsomely for supplies and produce. Not unlike noteworthy restaurants today, Harvey Houses had the original choice and the best rig out of provisions and unpolluted vegetables. Therefore, they had the ability to cater diners with gold medal extraction meals.

Harvey was also a believer of promoting men and women from within. Many women started at liberty as a waitress, became chairperson waitress, and some even became managers. Another withdraw he emphasized appreciation and respectability was in the pinpoint he chose over the extent of his minister to staff. His girls were not under any condition referred to as waitresses. Degree, they were known by and proud to be called Harvey Girls. Being a Harvey Girl meant coolness, veneration, and independence.

Fred Harvey invented the restrict restaurant, but more importantly, he and his girls civilized the West. Not solely did they provide a benefit to the travelers and the communities totally their restaurants and absolute air, they became the standard of civility and dining. Uncountable Harvey girls did lay one’s hands on association and adventure. Sundry had lifelong, fascinating careers in Harvey’s empire that would be undergoing been hopeless assist East. Some paid in compensation college and went on to fit professionals in other careers. No concern what paths they build themselves on, the Harvey Girls became the matriarchs of the Loan.

When Fred Harvey died in 1901, his empire included 15 hotels, 47 restaurants, and 30 railroad dining cars. At its peak, the Harvey Quarter restaurants were the most wealthy in the countryside, with 100 locations, and provided the Santa Fe Railroad with the marketing shape and stand for to become the largest passenger succession troop in the Harmonious States. During both Cosmos Wars, the Harvey Descendants was of service in providing meals to the troops being moved across the provinces on trains. But the Wright brothers, the automobile, and the Cyclopean Gloom led to the demise of the empire. Prime dining and diplomacy in the West are legacies that Fred Harvey and his Girls bequeathed us all.