Fred Harvey Firm

Fred Harvey (1835-1901) began a partnership with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1878. In 1889, the Railway gave Harvey exclusive rights to manage and operate his eating houses, lunch stands, and hotel facilities upon the Santa Fe's railroads west of the Missouri River. The Harvey Houses took pride in their first class food, service, and cleanliness.

From the description of Fred Harvey hotels collection, 1896-1945. (University of Arizona). WorldCat record id: 29699443

From the guide to the Fred Harvey hotels collection, 1896-1945, (University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections)

No historical information is available at this time.

From the guide to the Fred Harvey Company Photograph Collection, ca. 1900 - ca. 1950, (The Heard Museum)

Diversified hospitality and tourism firm comprising hotels, restaurants, railroad car dining services, National Park concessions, and souvenirs.

From the description of Fred Harvey Company Collection, 1900-1986. (Nogales-Santa Cruz County Public Library). WorldCat record id: 38284793

Firm founded by restauranteur Fred Harvey, who took over the restaurant at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe depot in Topeka, Kan., in 1876 and later opened hotels, restaurants, and dining cars along Santa Fe's main line. The Fred Harvey Company continued its close affiliation with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company until 1968, when Fred Harvey was purchased by Amfac, Inc. (present Xanterra Parks and Resorts).

From the description of Fred Harvey System, [ca. 1916-ca. 1970]. (Kansas State Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 694186664

Fred Harvey, whose food service business helped to make western train routes a success, worked with the Santa Fe railway system to market Santa Fe. This business venture had a lingering effect on tourism and the economic development of Southwestern United States.

The partnership between English immigrant, Frederick Henry Harvey and the Santa Fe Railway began in 1876, when Harvey leased and refurbished the first "Harvey House" restaurant/hotel in Topeka, Kansas. This partnership forever changed the nature of tourism in the American Southwest, offering travelers a "swift, safe, comfortable journey west-with a touch of adventure. They used sophisticated marketing techniques to advertise the exotic and romantic Southwest, and thousands of travelers embarked on their journeys with these images in mind. The excursions were lucrative for the Santa Fe Railway and the Fred Harvey Company, and educational and exciting for the tourists..." A new market for Native arts and crafts emerged. The Santa Fe Railroad, the Fred Harvey Company, travelers, and the indigenous communities of the region all were integral elements in a partnership that spanned more than 75 years.

Source: Inventing the Southwest: The Fred Harvey Company and Native American Art, Heard Museum, 1996.

From the guide to the Indian Detours Photograph Album, 1926, (University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research)