Harvey House is monument to Florence
In a day and age when many community ventures are being financed by taxpayer-funded grants, the Harvey House renovation at Florence is unique. Material and labor were provided by Florence Historical Society (FHS) members and other volunteers who donated time and money to the project.
According to Judy Mills, the completed project is a testament to the ability and willingness of the people of Florence to work together.
"This building is a monument to Florence," she said. "We have different personalities but we get along. This is definitely a tourist attraction for we have many from far and near who visit."
Sarah Cope, vice president of FHS, said the original idea was to paint a few walls, but it grew into a full-scale redecoration of the ground floor. No room was left untouched.
The restaurant/museum was shut down Jan. 1 and after five months of work, again is available by reservation after Saturday's open house.
"I can't emphasize enough the volunteerism that went into this," Mills said.
Many items were packed in boxes for storage before the real work could begin. Furniture had to be moved, wallpaper, paint, and carpet selected, and other items purchased.
Roger Hoffman donated many hours to help with carpentry work. He was assisted by Vernon Waner and Junior Grimmett.
One of the most difficult jobs was tearing out the interior chimney, upstairs and down. It required removal of a lot of bricks. It was a messy job, and cleaning up the mess was a big project in itself.
The entire first floor was re-carpeted along with the stairway and upstairs hallway. Several new light fixtures were installed. The parlor was re-furnished with a set of black leather antique furniture from the upstairs sitting room and a donated upright piano from Florence Ambulance Department.
A junk room was transformed into a display room complete with a chandelier, border trim, and new drapery.
The dining room received a complete makeover, with new wallpaper, border trim, and velvet swags on the windows. Roger Hoffman worked on the six oval tables to make them sturdy and strong, and new chairs were purchased.
Even the kitchen received a makeover, to give an authentic early look with new, painted wood cabinets and open shelves.
When the work was complete, the boxes had to be unpacked, furniture moved again, pictures hung, and a myriad of other details completed.
Volunteers not already mentioned included Ed and Neva Robinson, Clint and Sarah Cope, Rodney and Twilah Williams, Cathy DeForest, Harvey Wells, Ernie Hurdle, Marge Jackson, and Randy and Judy Mills.
History
According to Judy Mills, Fred Harvey was the father of the fast food industry. Before his death, he acquired a large chain of restaurants and hotels along the Santa Fe Railroad all the way to the West Coast.
The Florence facility was the first to combine a hotel and restaurant. It was established in 1879 after Fred Harvey purchased the Clifton Hotel.
After an addition, the hotel was three times the size of the present building and was located in east Florence near the railroad tracks. Train passengers stayed at the hotel and ate sumptuous meals served by pleasant waittresses who became known as "Harvey House girls." The last meal was served March 31, 1900.
One-third of the structure became a parsonage and another one-third became a small hotel. The remaining third was empty for four years, then was moved to Marion Street in Florence and became a boarding house.
In the early 1970s, the building was purchased by Florence Historical Society, which turned it into a museum and later began offering group dinners by reservation.
The restaurant serves the traditional Harvey House menu. It includes a relish plate, French coleslaw, roast sirloin of beef au jus, Fred Harvey whipped potatoes with beef gravy, Santa Fe asparagus, fresh baked rolls with raspberry preserves, charlotte of peaches with sweet whipped cream, an assorted cheese and fruit tray, and coffee, tea, or milk.
Waitresses, members of Florence Historical Society, wear uniforms identical to those worn by Harvey House girls.
Group meals are available upon request at $15 a plate for a minimum of 12 people. The dining room seats 24.
Donations of museum items and money always are appreciated.
To make reservations to tour the museum and/or eat at the restaurant, call 620-878-4296.
