author
Fred Harvey
An English-born entrepreneur who changed train travel in the American West, he built a chain of restaurants, hotels, and shops that became famous for dependable service and good food. His Harvey Houses helped set a new standard for hospitality along the railroad lines.
1 Audiobook
Wichita
by Fred Harvey
About the author
Born in London in 1835, Fred Harvey moved to the United States as a teenager and worked in the restaurant trade before turning to the railroad business. After seeing how poor food service was for rail passengers, he teamed up with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to create a better experience.
Starting in the 1870s, he developed the Harvey House system of restaurants, hotels, and dining services across the Southwest and beyond. These stops became known for clean dining rooms, prompt service, and consistent meals at a time when train travel could be rough and unpredictable.
Harvey's business helped shape the image of travel in the American West, and his company became closely linked with the famous "Harvey Girls," the women who staffed many of the restaurants. Even long after his death in 1901, his name remained an important part of railroad and hospitality history in the United States.