Branding the Southwest

Download or read book Branding the Southwest written by Patrick W. Kidd and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The remaining Harvey Houses should be preserved for a number of reasons. First, they hold architectural significance, particularly those in the Southwest. These were some of the first major public buildings to exhibit the aesthetic mélange typically referred to as the Mission, Pueblo, and Spanish Revivals, popular as the nineteenth century gave way to the twentieth. A number were designed by the leading architects of their day, and were major commissions that received the full attention of their creators. Second, the Harvey Houses were among the first structures built in many railroad towns, and became social centers where not only travelers but also townspeople mingled and gathered to learn the local news. Third, the Romantic aesthetic employed in their architecture and interior design was an essential tool in the marketing of the Southwest as a potential tourist destination. The “great” Harvey Houses of New Mexico and Arizona were specifically built to attract overnight tourists to a relatively unknown sector of the country, a move which increased the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad’s (ATSF) bottom line. The rise of tourism and the ATSF and FHC’s roles in this process would in part lead to the recognition and designation of numerous state and national parks in the region. Fourth, the Harvey Houses represent the rise of modern business practices developed and perfected by the FHC and still implemented by businesses today. The emphasis on standardization, a complex geographically tiered management system, and development of brand identity through architecture and a strong corporate image were all concepts early employed by the FHC."--Page 3.