Harvey Houses, which were hotels and restaurants, served train travelers and locals for years along the Atcheson, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) Railroad lines across the United States. Founder Fred Harvey came up with the idea while providing food service in railroad dining cars.
Our first Harvey House experience was the fabulous El Tovar Hotel at Grand Canyon National Park. A second Harvey House at the Grand Canyon is Bright Angel Lodge. Another one closer to home is located about 15 miles away from us in Slaton, Texas and is now a bed and breakfast. Though with that said, we are dedicating this post to the Belen Harvey House Museum in Belen, New Mexico. We would also like to recognize Heide, our lovely guide who taught us so much about Harvey House history.
Where is it?
The Belen Harvey House Museum is located at 104 North 1st Street in Belen, New Mexico. Belen, which is the Spanish name for Bethlehem, is 34 miles south of Albuquerque on I-25. Access the museum’s website here.
Fred Harvey
Having immigrated from England in 1853 at the age of 17, Fred Harvey got a job as a dishwasher in a New York City restaurant. The restaurant’s owners taught him the complexities of the food service business, and he eventually became a busboy, waiter, and then a cook. Later, after working for a few years in a jewelry store, Fred and a partner opened their own restaurant, but the Civil War interrupted the venture. When the partner absconded with all of the profits, Fred was left holding the bag. Harvey eventually went to work for the Hanibal and St. Joseph Railroad in Missouri. After several promotions within the company, he was transferred to Leavenworth, Kansas where he remained for the rest of his life.
In 1876, Fred made a deal with the superintendent of the ATSF Railroad after noticing there were few accommodations and no restaurants near most of their depots. The railroad would buy or build the buildings and lease them to the Fred Harvey Company. In turn, he would provide restaurants, workers, and hotel accommodations in or near the depots. A simple handshake sealed the deal, and the first Harvey House opened in Florence, Kansas in 1878 ushering in an era that would span almost 90 years. 
Fred Harvey died of intestinal cancer in 1901. After his death, his children and grandchildren ran the company into the 1960s. Harvey’s home in Leavenworth is now a museum.
Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter
Fred Harvey hired Mary Colter, an architect and designer who designed many of the buildings at Grand Canyon National Park, to design his restaurants and hotels across the southwest. She remained the Fred Harvey Company’s chief architect and designer for 46 years, retiring in 1948 at the age of 79. Colter designed 21 hotels in addition to other buildings for the Fred Harvey Company, however, the Belen Harvey House was designed architect Myron Church.
Grand Canyon National Park was the railroad’s most popular destination, so Colter was hired to design several buildings for the park. She designed the Desert View Watchtower, Hermit’s Rest, Phantom Ranch, and Lookout Studio, among others, all of which are still in use today. Mary Colter also designed the dinnerware that was used exclusively in the dining cars on the ATSF Super Chief, which ran from Chicago, Illinois to Pasadena, California.
Harvey Girls
Women aged 18 – 30 were hired to serve as waitresses in Harvey Houses and to bring hospitality, beauty, and refinement to those establishments. Upon being hired, all Harvey Girls were sent to a one-month training program at the Vaughn, New Mexico Harvey House which no longer exists. Paid $17.50 per month plus tips, they worked 12-hour shifts six days a week. Uniforms plus room and board were perks of their employment. Free train travel along with Harvey House accommodations and meals during their one week per year vacations was another perk.
Recognizable by their black dresses and white aprons, these hard-working ladies lived in a dormitory in or near the hotel and even had a dorm mother. House rules were fairly strict. Men were never allowed to visit the girls’ living quarters, and the girls were strongly advised against fraternizing with the male railroad workers.
Nor could Harvey Girls converse with or flirt with the patrons. Their employment contracts purportedly contained an agreement stating that they would remain unmarried for at least one year after being hired. However, according to museum information, between 1883 and 1905 there were 8,260 marriages of Harvey Girls to railroad men, ranchers, cowboys, and fellow employees. Throughout the Harvey House era approximately 100,000 women worked as Harvey Girls.
Nothing But the Best But No Bathrooms
Insisting on nothing but the finest, Fred Harvey imported his table linens, dinnerware, and silverware from Europe. Although, interestingly, most of the Harvey Houses didn’t have public bathrooms. This was to prevent a passenger from missing or delaying a train.
Travelers had limited time in which to have a meal before reboarding the train – usually about 25 minutes – because it took about a half hour to refuel the trains. Harvey House lunch counters were casual and were great for a quick sandwich, piece of pie, or cup of coffee.
Dining rooms, on the other hand, were formal. Because time was so limited, an ingenious system was developed to ensure that travelers had time to enjoy their meals. 
The 1955 menu below is from the La Fonda in Santa Fe. We have eaten there, and though it’s no longer a Harvey House they were still serving fabulous food at the time of our visit. We’re including the menu to show the delicious-sounding meals of the time.
The Harvey House Legacy Lives On
At their peak, there were 84 Harvey Houses. The Grand Canyon’s El Tovar Hotel and Bright Angel Lodge are former Harvey Houses that are still in operation. La Posada opened in 1930 in Winslow, Arizona as Mary Colter’s self-proclaimed masterpiece. It is the only Harvey railroad hotel left in operation on Historic Route 66. In 2014, La Posada’s owner, Allen Allfeldt, bought the Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, which was Harvey’s first trackside hotel. After some rehabilitation, the Castaneda Hotel has reopened for overnight stays and dining.
Visiting the Belen Harvey House Museum
- Hours: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Wednesday through Saturday.
- Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated.
- Last admission to the museum is at 4:00 pm.
- Grab a bite to eat in the new Whistle Stop Cafe.
- Buy a souvenir in the gift shop.
- Watch the trains rumble by on the adjacent tracks.
- Tell Heide we said hello!
Thanks so much for joining us on our visit to the Belen Harvey House Museum. If you enjoy history and museums, you may enjoy these other wonderful destinations:
- Strawbery Banke Museum and Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- National Route 66 Museum
- National Corvette Museum
Happy, safe travels, y’all!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) Our opinions are our own.
©2023
Oh, I love this one! I learned about the Harvey House through Kimberly Woodhouse, the author of historical fiction, and following her research for “A Mark of Grace,” one of a Grand Canyon series set in the hotel in the early 1900s.
Thank you so much, Joy! He was a trailblazer and hiring Mary Colter was probably the best thing he could’ve done for his business.
Wow, thank you for the great photos and information, guys! I have never heard of this company, the man was amazing, very driven. I love the dinnerware, it’s beautiful! I am glad that I found your blog, always so interesting. 😊😎
Thank you, John. Your nice comments are so appreciated!
You are welcome, guys. 🤙🏻☺️
Mike and Kellye, thanks for this interesting post. I never heard of the Harvey Houses before. I had to laugh at how many of the Harvey girls married railroad men, ranchers and cowboys!
Thanks so much! Yes, those “no marriage for a year” clauses didn’t hold much water. We thought it was funny too.
Loved this one! A fascinating history! Thank you. Have a great weekend 🙋♂️
Thank you, Ashley! I hope you have a great weekend too.
Great bit of history. We had the opportunity to visit the El Tovar, but not as a guest, just passing through, so to speak. Grand Canyon also offers a Fred Harvey spiced tea mix in glass jars. Simply add hot water and stir.
Thanks for reading the post, Brad! The El Tovar is a treasure in our opinion. That’s where we first learned about Fred Harvey and Mary Coulter.
And if I remember right, the Bright Angel Trail starts/ends very near there. We only went a little ways along just to say we were on it. 😉 And to catch photos of the California Condors.
We didn’t get to see any California condors. Maybe a trip back is in order. Or we will hold out for seeing one in Pinnacles National Park.
Definitely need a trip back there. We saw at least four tagged birds, and several others just flying around.
What a fabulous post Kellye. Harvey was a real self made man and a genius. We saw the hotels in Grand Canyon area without realizing the history. The menus and prices are most interesting to see and the way they got diners in and out was run with railroad precision. I wonder how the Harvey Girls contract would work today. Not very well, I suspect. Thanks for this history lesson. Have a great weekend. Allan
Thanks so much, Allan! I doubt anyone could live up to Mr. Harvey’s standards in this day and age. We thought the menu was interesting too.
What an interesting history. Roy and I had breakfast at the Bright Angel Lodge . It was delicious and service was superb. I bought two of their bowls on sale. Now I know why it was so special. The GrandCanyon was spectacular from its windows. Thank you.
I’m so glad you got to visit there, Sandy! Mary Colter did an amazing job. Thank you for reading the post.
Interesting hospitality history! It was a different era for sure!
Mostly before McDonalds 😁 Thanks so much for reading our post!
Thank you for this post. I had no idea! So interesting!
Lived this post. I’d never heard of Harvey Houses before. The images show some lovely hotels/restaurants.
Thank you, Brenda! They were/are beautiful places for train passengers and other travelers.
We recently stayed at another Harvey House: the La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona. Highly recommended! Besides the architecture and history, this hotel features a gallery of paintings by Tina Mion (who is one of the current hotel owners).
How exciting, Larry! We would love to stay at the La Posada. Maybe someday we will. Thanks so much for checking out the post.
That’s so cool! Never heard of a Harvey House, but they appear to serve as the precursor to the standard hotels and B&Bs we have today. Glad you explored a lesser-known part of US history!
Thank you, Rebecca! We have so much fun checking out these out-of-the-way places.
I definitely learned something new today. The menu looked good!
Thanks so much, Geoff! We thought the menu was interesting, especially the prices.
Oh my goodness, Mike and Kelley. This was all new to me and fascinating! Y’all find such interesting places to explore! Thanks!
Thank you, Neal! We do a lot of research before hitting the road, but the research is fun too.
Very neat.
Great post! I was familiar with Mary Colter, but not Fred Harvey. Thanks for the wonderful NEW history I’ve learned today. So interesting!
Thank you so much! Mary Colter was an amazing woman, and Fred must’ve been a smart man.
Railway (railroad) history is always of interest to me, including of course those businesses inextricably linked to the railway industry. So this is just fascinating, especially the communication systems in place to enable the Harvey House to be ready for diners as the train pulled in. Who needs technology huh!? This was such a good read of a railway subject I’d never heard of before.
Thank you so much for reading and for your nice comments! Mr. Harvey was indeed a smart man.
What an interesting part of history. We have railroad hotels across Canada too, but they were built and run by the railway. Today they are historic gems. Maggie
Thank you, Maggie! We intend to see some of those beautiful Canadian railroad hotels one day.
What a fascinating story, Kellye. The details you included (menus, old photos and your wonderful descriptions) really evoke that distant era. Harvey Girls did not have an easy life at all. It makes sad to think how little free time they had in their lives. I love how well organised the whole operation was and ‘the best cup of coffee in town’ would certainly be something to look forward to on the journey. The menu is delightful, roast spring lamb and chocolate cake for me, please. La Posada would be a place to stay while exploring Route 66. Hope you are enjoying the weekend!
Thank you, Leighton! We would love to travel that western portion of Route 66 and stay at La Posada. Someday…
Lovely interesting post Kellye, I enjoyed reading about the Harvey Girls. Sounds like a very coveted job. Despite the strict rules they managed to slip in a flirtation here and there!
Thanks, Alison! Yes, we thought it was funny how many of them married their “customers” and co-workers.
I knew that Mary Colter designed several of the stone buildings in the Grand Canyon National Park, but had no idea she was connected with the Harvey Houses. Glad to hear that a few of these houses remain as it’s a neat way to learn more about their history. I still can’t get over the fact that the Harvey Houses didn’t have public bathrooms! They have about 25 minutes to eat, but apparently not enough time to use the facilities! Thanks for sharing. Linda
Thank you, Linda! Yep, they had to wait to “go” until the train left the station.
This is so fascinating, what a neat place to explore! I love seeing old menus and the prices back then. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Lyssy!
That menu from 1955 looks delicious and a total steal! I love the Harvey Houses, what a great idea…also interesting they gave guests enough time to eat (for a price), but not go to the toilet!
Fascinating! An enjoyable read 🙂 They took pleasing their short-on-time customers to a new level by having them order their meals ahead of arrival. And what a varied and enticing menu! Smart thinking, too, in not having public bathrooms.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Rosaliene! Yes, their customer service must have been phenomenal. Sadly, we don’t see much of that level of service anymore.
What a fascinating story of Harvey House, he was quite the entrepreneur and of his association with Mary Colter. The tableware designs are beautiful and to learn about the training of the Harvey House girls and their duties was so interesting too Kellye. It’s so nice that the Harvey House connection lives on.
Thank you, Marion. I appreciate your interest in our post.
Very interesting! I’ve always loved historic information like this! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for checking out our post!
An interesting slice of US history! The small details, like the menu, really bring it to life 🙂 I’d heard of Harvey Houses but hadn’t realised I’d ever been in one, however we had a drink in the La Fonda in Santa Fe so I have!
There you go…you were in a more historic place than you thought! Thank you for reading, we thought the menu was fun.
That is a really brilliant idea of setting up these places along the route- not only providing food and a place to rest for travelers but also providing a job opportunity and a place to live for those who work there. What a great and fun museum! 🙂
Thank you, Meg. It was a good museum.
I’ve have never heard of a Harvey House Kellye. Fascinating history and those prices of the food!!!!!
This was such an interesting post. I loved reading and learning about the history which I had never known before. What a great man to come up with such a wonderful idea. Not sure I would have liked to work 12 shifts for 6 days but I’m sure they had fun too.
Thanks so much, Wayne! I heard that the fine linens Fred Harvey used in his restaurants came from Ireland.
Oh wow that’s amazing!!!
I like the concept why no public restroom so that travelers do not miss their train.
Yes, Mr. Harvey was a smart man!
Wow! I learned so much reading this! I had to smile at all the marriages of the Harvey girls. 🙂 Thank you for sharing all of this information with us!!! 🙂
I had never heard of Harvey Houses – how clever! And I giggled at the amount of marriages between the Harvey Girls and railroad men 😄. Wow, the way the dining rooms worked on time is quite amazing … I’ll be waiting right here for my ‘Roast spring lamb rack’ (at that price)!
The working conditions were certainly different in those days. Room and board were probably good ways to attract staff.
Great post! I first learned about the Harvey House when I stayed at El Tovar a few years back. What a great part of history! I did not know there was a museum and it looks fascinating!
Thank you, Lori! That Harvey House museum was super interesting.
Great images, thank you as always for sharing! I have heard of this term, but I couldn’t remember what it means. You always teach me something! I love that, thank you.
Thank you, Jessica! I appreciate your support of our posts.
An incredible part of travel history! I love it!
Thank you, Robert. It was interesting.
Nice pic
Thank you, Tina! We appreciate you checking out some of our posts. I have just followed you.
You welcome!
YAY thank you. 😊
Thank you 😊
Interesting read. I love the history of the Harvey Girls/ Houses. and we have stayed in a few. It was a brilliant idea for the time, wasn’t it?
This is so fascinating. I would like to check out this place someday.
Thank you! Mr. Harvey was one smart man.