| El Garces Hotel |
El Garces Hotel was built in 1908 by the
Santa Fe Railroad for the Fred Harvey
Company. Architect Francis W. Wilson
designed a neoclassical structure with
Doric columns lining the ground floor
and ionic columns supporting the
second story. The name El Garces was
chosen to honor Father Francisco
Garces, a missionary who was the first
European known to have crossed the
Mojave Desert
Santa Fe Railroad for the Fred Harvey
Company. Architect Francis W. Wilson
designed a neoclassical structure with
Doric columns lining the ground floor
and ionic columns supporting the
second story. The name El Garces was
chosen to honor Father Francisco
Garces, a missionary who was the first
European known to have crossed the
Mojave Desert
The main entrance to
the hotel faces the
railroad tracks and rail
travelers were greeted
by Mohave Indians
dressed in colorful
skirts and shawls
selling beaded jewelry,
ceramic figures and
hand woven baskets.
the hotel faces the
railroad tracks and rail
travelers were greeted
by Mohave Indians
dressed in colorful
skirts and shawls
selling beaded jewelry,
ceramic figures and
hand woven baskets.
The open air entry courtyard (left)
was built around an oval fountain.
This feature was later replaced with a
news stand (shown at the top of
this page).
was built around an oval fountain.
This feature was later replaced with a
news stand (shown at the top of
this page).
Harvey Hotels were renowned for
excellent food and service, and El
Garces had an elegant restaurant (left)
and a lunch room (above) that had
three horseshoe lunch counters and
hand glazed ceramic tile murals and
mosaic tile floors.
excellent food and service, and El
Garces had an elegant restaurant (left)
and a lunch room (above) that had
three horseshoe lunch counters and
hand glazed ceramic tile murals and
mosaic tile floors.
The food was served by the famous Harvey
Girls. Harvey placed adds in Eastern Newspapers
seeking "Young women of good character,
attractive and intelligent, 18 to 30, to work in
Harvey Eating Houses in the West". One of the
few respectable jobs a single woman could have
in the West was the position of Harvey Girl, and
the women were strictly supervised, living in
Harvey dormitories complete with dorm
mothers. With good food and Harvey Girl
service, Fred Harvey built his hotel and
restaurant empire. The postcard below shows
the locations of a few of the hotels in the Fred
Harvey chain.
Girls. Harvey placed adds in Eastern Newspapers
seeking "Young women of good character,
attractive and intelligent, 18 to 30, to work in
Harvey Eating Houses in the West". One of the
few respectable jobs a single woman could have
in the West was the position of Harvey Girl, and
the women were strictly supervised, living in
Harvey dormitories complete with dorm
mothers. With good food and Harvey Girl
service, Fred Harvey built his hotel and
restaurant empire. The postcard below shows
the locations of a few of the hotels in the Fred
Harvey chain.
History