Lesley Poling-Kempes

A thoroughly researched, historical treatise on Fred Harvey's creation of hospitality stops along the Santa Fe railroad from Kansas to the Grand Canyon and to San Francisco. The first hand stories, from Harvey Girls which were included, along with photos made this a very interesting read. What an important part of history and the building of the West that these folks created and participated in. I am very inspired and want to visit many of the locations detailed that are still there but may show more have been remodeled and repurposed. show less

Interesting, enlightening, thought-provoking, coincidental! Thoroughly researched! A story about independent, Eastern, talented, cultured, usually moneyed women who find their way to new lives in New Mexico. My only problem was keeping track of the women and their stories.

Another excellent Lesley Poling-Kempes book. This one, however, seemed to start out a little slow and it was hard to get into the detail of the history of the Abiquiu area. Once I got into the book, it was very interesting, in fact, enlightening, as I became amazed at all the history of northern New Mexico that I've never had any clue about.

An interesting book that profiles the lives of several intrepid women who lived in New Mexico in the early 1900s. The author did an incredible about of research but I think she bogged down in the weeds by trying to include a lot of miscellany detail that did not add to the stories about 4 main women.