When the railroad forged its way through the West, it brought Fred Harvey restaurants and hotels with it. Indeed, Mr. Harvey had a unique vision and was an astute businessman, as were his sons and grandsons, who continued the business after he died in 1901. However, the employees, led by waitresses known as Harvey Girls, made the Fred Harvey company a success. Over the years, more than 100,000 women followed the Santa Fe Tracks westward to work as Harvey Girls.
How was life as a Harvey Girl beyond the ever-present smile and distinctive black and white uniform? Indeed, it was an exciting adventure for some and a guarantee of a husband for many. The Harvey House staff was, in many ways, a protective family. Still, it could be difficult as most of the young women left home for the first time to work in a Harvey House. No doubt, at the end of a twelve-hour shift, bone tired and alone on the second floor of a Harvey House, many of these young women cried themselves to sleep. During interviews for my series of books on Harvey Houses and Harvey Girls, I heard many personal stories expressing loneliness and a feeling of constant fatigue; however, invariably, there were happy endings.
Even though Christmas decorations adorned Harvey Houses and the menu was brimming with traditional holiday food, this time of year was especially difficult for young women working far from home and family.
Ethel Willis Irby was born just over one hundred miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico, in the tiny mining town of Brilliant. After graduating from high school in 1928, she went to work as a Harvey Girl at the Castaneda in Las Vegas.
During her first Christmas in Las Vegas, Ethel was very homesick as she had always been with her family during the holidays. As we might say today, she decided to apply some “retail therapy” to her situation. Ethel went shopping and bought some new shoes. Although the purchase took almost all her weekly wages, she felt special in the slender, black pumps and decided to have the shop owner wrap up her scuffed, tan ankle boots, declaring she wanted to wear the new shoes. Stepping a little lighter in her shiny pumps, Ethel continued to stroll along Bridge Street, enjoying the holiday decorations in the shop windows. Then it began to rain, and water quickly puddled on the uneven dirt footpath. This was when Ethel discovered that her pretty new shoes were not leather but made of cardboard with a glossy surface. Before she could make her way in the pouring rain, Ethel had to walk a few blocks to the Rawlins building where she and other Harvey Girls lived. As she rushed out of the rain into the shelter of the foyer, her new Christmas shoes disintegrated.
Ethel’s cold, wet feet perfectly matched her dampened spirits. She felt she had wasted her money on a frivolous purchase, and the whistle of an approaching train reminded her that if she didn’t hurry, this Harvey Girl would be late for work. Thankful that she had recently chosen a fashionable bob, Ethel used her bath towel to dry her hair as best she could, slipped into her black and white uniform, put on dry shoes, and reported for work in the bustling, crowded Castaneda dining room. She was still lonely and disappointed, but it was time for her shift, and she had train passengers to feed!
Over the years, the lives of Harvey Girls have been romanticized, often overshadowing the hardships these young women undoubtedly endured. Yet, they were not just symbols of femininity and grace, but also exemplars of resilience. They shared a steadfast commitment to meet the exacting Fred Harvey standards, facing each day with a renewed determination that is truly admirable.
Three years later, Ethel Willis transferred to Los Chavez Harvey House and Hotel in Vaughn, New Mexico. While working in the lunch room, she often served meals to a Boston wool buyer, Sumner Irby, who regularly traveled to the southwest for business. Ethel was twenty years old, and Sumner was thirty-five when they met. She considered him a kind, gentle “old” man. According to Ethel’s daughter, it took Mr. Irby two years. Still, he eventually convinced the pretty Harvey Girl to marry him, providing Ethel with a happy, comfortable life with as many pairs of leather shoes as she desired!
Rosa Walston Latimer is the author of a series of books about Harvey Houses available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or Book People, an Austin independent book store.
This story was originally published at SlatonHarveyHouse.com entitled “A Harvey Girl Christmas Story.”