Denison, Texas -- The Grayson County Historical Society will meet Tuesday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. and the Vice-President, Mike Shaw, is the presenter. He has chosen to tell the history of the Harvey Houses and the role of the Harvey Girls in the settling of the West.
Back in the 1870s a freight agent, Fred Harvey, paved the way for civilized travel when the West was still wild. Harvey spent much time traveling via train in an era before we had the dining cars so it was difficult to find good food. There were roadhouses set up near the tracks which offered limited fares of quality and uncaring service.
Harvey recognized a business opportunity and struck a deal with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to operate a system of eateries along its rail lines. In1876 Harvey opened his first depot restaurant in Topeka, Kansas and like it had been said, the Harvey Houses spread like dandelions in a wet spring for by 1891 he owned 15 Harvey House restaurants.
Hundreds of women left their homes between the 1880 and 1960 to work for the Harvey House restaurants that Fred Harvey established. These courageous single women between the ages of 18 and 30 answered newspaper ads placed by Fred Harvey and the stipulation was they had to be of good moral character, well-mannered, attractive, and intelligent with at least an 8th-grade education.
Mike Shaw is a retired telecommunications engineer who spent years working in remote and overseas locations where he developed a love for history. Mike and his wife, Connie, retired to this area; he was able to devote time to his study of history and genealogy, as well as his hobby of treasure and relic hunting. He grew up in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles in a railroading family so he heard many stories told by his father, mother, grandfather and uncles. One of the reasons Mike enjoys his mother's stories are of her time as a Harvey Girl and this led to his reading every book and article on the subject he could find. Mike is like his peers for he has developed a knack for telling stories of his own adventures as well as those of his ancestors.
The society meets in the Judge R.C. Vaughan Community Room of the museum at Grayson County Frontier Village on the second Tuesday of the month. Loy Lake Park is located midway between Sherman and Denison off Hwy. 75, Exit 67. Our meetings are open to the general public and all are welcome to attend. New members are always welcome.