Episode 172: The Harvey Girls

 

Harvey Girls, undated, Creative Commons

Over 100,000 women left their hometowns for adventure, a job (and maybe to find a husband) to become Harvey Girls. These poised, skilled, efficient, charming women waited on customers in Harvey House restaurants all across the US and stayed to help establish communities in growing towns.  But, it’s impossible to tell the tale of these brave women who helped settle the American West without talking about the man behind them: Fred Harvey.

Mr. Fred Harvey, the man behind the women. Public domain

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