They were the true pioneers of the American West – thousands of young women aged 18 to 30 who worked six days a week at ground-breaking rail station diners that created dozens of small towns scattered 100 miles apart from each other in the Southwest and West.
The majority of the brave women had traveled to these tiny and seemingly uninhabited areas leaving everything they knew behind, including their childhood homes and parents, just to have a chance to earn a decent wage and be independent, while unknowingly helping to change the landscape of the new U.S. territory gained after winning the pivotal Mexican-American War in 1848.
The acquired states, including Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Nevada and Utah, were largely unpopulated by Americans until people began migrating from the East Coast, Midwest and South for a fresh start at life by traveling via the newly built railroad system connecting the entire country.
Many of those Americans were following the popular phrase, 'Go West, Young Man, Go West'.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
3 comments:
I'm 81 years old,born in 1936,and that part of American history has some meaning for me.My great grand fither went across the country in a covered wagon when he got to San Francisco a year leter my great grand mother went by sailing ship around Cape Horn. Cape Horn was a very dangerous trip but considered a lot safer than covered wagon because of Indian attacks.
I saw a movie many years ago about the Harvey Girls.
i was a harvey girl but i now idendtify as a man
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