The Slaton Harvey House is located in Slaton, Texas. It is a bed and breakfast with five named units, a sitting room, and spaces for events such as wedding receptions and retirement parties. The property sits right next to various railroad tracks, which were the cause for the building's construction in 1912 as a restaurant for railroad workers. A red train car is on the grounds of the Harvey House, of which guests can visit and take pictures. The property has an elevator and handicap-friendly bathrooms, making it ADA compliant in many ways. A complementary breakfast is provided to all those who stay the night at the Slaton Harvey House.
The Slaton Harvey House is a bed and breakfast situated in midwestern Texas, in the city of Slaton. The property rests at the north edge of town, covering a small municipal area of land and located directly next to a series of railway tracks. The house contains five total guest rooms, which have period decor that ranges from 1912 to 1940.
The building that houses all of the units is a two-story construction with adobe stylings. The Slaton Harvey House is primary tannish in color, with bright red accents at doorways and window frames. The structure is mostly square and rigid in its design, with a roof that juts out at a perpendicular angle from the top of the wall.
The region directly surrounding the bed and breakfast is comprised of a desert climate, with relatively sparse greenery. Despite this, the Slaton Harvey House is known in part for a bright red train car that sits a few dozen yards away from the house. Visitors to the property are able to interact with the train car partially, taking pictures at their leisure.
The five bedrooms on the site are called the Navajo Room, the Zuni Room, the Pueblo Room, the Hopi Room, and the Apache Room. All of the units except for the Pueblo Room are located on the second floor of the house. The various rooms include amenities such as dressers, antique queen beds, vanities, and sitting chairs. There is also a common area called "The Sitting Room" that overlooks the railroad. The room contains a mini-fridge, a sink, a first aid kit, an antique mission dining table, a television, board games, card games, and a film collection that spans over various decades. A display case to the side of the room showcases a small assortment of Native American memorabilia.
Some of the other property-wide features that are available to patrons include the use of a washer and dryer on-site, Wi-Fi, and an elevator that allows for greater handicap accessibility. Handicap accessibility is actually one of the largest aspects of the property that sets it apart from others. Most of the rooms in the building have full handicap access, and the units themselves contain handicap-friendly bathrooms. There is also a breakfast that is served each morning that is included in the price of a night's stay in one of the rooms.
Finally, one of the unique features of the property is the store that it contains. The gift shop sells items such as books, mugs, t-shirts, magnets, ink pens, and aprons.
According to property management, the desired culture of the Slaton Harvey House is that of "luxury" and "historical mindfulness." The reputation of the estate is focused on providing service and hospitality. This is due to its current status as a bed and breakfast, as well as its history as an older chain restaurant. The property has always been tied with individuals who are accustomed to serving meals routinely to travelers.
The Slaton Harvey House has renovated certain parts of its premises for the use of events such as class reunions and wedding receptions. There is enough space to comfortably accommodate roughly 30 to 80 people, with table and chair arrangements that can seat up to 100 people. Kitchen access is provided as part of reserving the space for an event. Additionally, if all five units in the bed and breakfast are rented out, a total of 11 people can stay at the Slaton Harvey House.
The property puts special emphasis on its history, as well as the historical attributes of the surrounding area. Privacy is respected at the establishment if guests should desire it, but for those who are interested, the property's management is pleased to give their patrons complete tours of the property and a full history of the Slaton Harvey House. The entire home is filled with antique memorabilia, artwork, and photographs of the railroad, Native Americans, and the Harvey House.
The Slaton Harvey House has received various reviews from its guests over the years, expressing gratitude toward the property managers' "hospitable enthusiasm." One guest, in particular, stated, "You can tell the people who are putting their time in to greet the guests and run the place are doing it out of love for the history of the place and to keep the spirit of the place alive." Another guest explained their experience in the following manner: "Quaint and historic. The caretaker, Jessica, is very personable, a good cook and gave great suggestions of what to see, do and where to eat dinner."
Nearby attractions include things such as the Buddy Holly Center, which contains various items of significance regarding the 60's rock musician Buddy Holly. Visitors to the nearby city of Lubbock can also visit the American Windmill Museum, which is credited as the largest windmill museum in the world, with over 170 windmills. The Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Slaton Bakery, Stars & Stripes Drive-In, and Lubbock Water Rampage are also popular attractions and restaurants in the region.
When the Slaton Harvey House first opened in 1912, it was a restaurant with the mission of "offering quality meals at fast pace for train passengers of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway." It was constructed by the Fred Harvey Company and has been referred to as a "Gem of the South Plains." The Harvey House eventually discontinued its restaurant services, closing its doors in 1942. For various decades after that, it only served as a freight depot. In fact, many of the Slaton locals still refer to the building as simply "the depot."
As time went on, the building fell into a fair amount of disrepair. Operations had ceased entirely at the establishment, and the premises was facing potential demolition. A group of locals and others banded together and successfully rescued the building from being destroyed, claiming the place to be a Slaton and Lubbock landmark.
The Slaton Harvey House has been operating as a bed and breakfast for a little more than 30 years, owned and operated by the group of "The Slaton Railroad Heritage Association."
400 Railway Ave.
Slaton, Texas 79364
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Slaton Railroad Heritage Association
ATS&F Railway Company
