The Harvey Girls: Pioneering Waitresses of the Southwest
Harvey Girls were a cultural phenomenon in the Southwest for almost 100 years. There was even a popular musical about them starring Judy Garland. They served at restaurants along the Santa Fe railroad run by a man named Fred Harvey, who paid them well and gave them generous leave time. It was one of the few ways young American women could take control of their own lives and finances and have adventures without the supervision of family members or husbands. At the time, there were very few women in the Southwest. Over half of the approximately 100,000 women who became Harvey Girls stayed, many marrying and having children. Thus, Fred Harvey is credited with populating the Southwest. Juliette Fay will offer a multimedia presentation on these pioneering women and the novel she wrote based on their lives.
Juliette Fay is an award-winning, bestselling author of historical and contemporary fiction. Her novels have been translated into eight foreign languages and are available in print, ebook, and audio formats. She speaks at literary events and festivals, and her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, Psychology Today, and Lit Hub.
A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, Juliette lives in Massachusetts with her family.
The Harvey Girls and all of Juliette’s books will be available for purchase at the event.