In the early 1880s, at a time when societal norms deemed working women socially inferior and morally suspect, an English gentleman defied conventions and brought thousands of young women to the American West. Their destination: the restaurants along the Santa Fe Railroad line. Preferring the title “Harvey Girl” to the conventional term “waitress,” Fred Harvey selectively recruited single women aged eighteen to thirty. These resilient women worked ten-hour days, efficiently serving four-course meals in under thirty minutes at Harvey Houses spanning from Kansas to California.
Requiring adherence to strict rules, including modest uniforms, prohibition of makeup and jewelry, and the signing of year-long contracts, the Harvey Girls, chaperoned by a house mother, upheld a standard of excellence. In return for their dedication, they enjoyed room and board, railroad passes, and job security. Over the seventy-year history of the Harvey Houses, more than one hundred thousand women proudly donned the iconic black-and-white uniform of the Harvey Girls.
“Far from Home” marks the initiation of a two-volume collection of paper dolls showcasing the authentic uniforms and fashions worn by the Harvey Girls. The text takes the form of journal entries, and the historical fashions are meticulously crafted based on the extensive collections housed at the Arizona State Capitol Museum.
Embark on a journey through time with Mayetta and Christine as they leave their childhood homes, stepping into new adventures as Harvey Girls in the 1890s. Through journal entries like the one dated July 1893, readers witness the flurry of activity and excitement when Fred Harvey himself visits Las Vegas. The text, brimming with historical authenticity, recounts the unique challenges and triumphs of these pioneering women. For a deeper dive into the paper doll history of the Harvey Girls, explore “The Golden Era: West by Rail with the Harvey Girls.”
