Fred Harvey, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1950s

Mudheads are the clown dancers of certain south-western Native American tribes. In pueblo tradition, the masked figures appear as jokers and village-cryers at social gatherings. The term mudhead derives from the performers’ masks which are covered in mud and form vaguely human-like features. Their bodies are also painted in brown clay.

This unusual vintage menu cover of mudheads examining a bottle of champagne was used on the drinks list at a Fred Harvey restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In 1835, Fred Harvey immigrated to the US at the age of 17 and worked his way up from being a pot scrubber in a restaurant in New York to starting the country’s first restaurant chain called Harvey Houses.

These establishments were situated along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railways route and catered to wealthy and middle- class visitors alike.

Fred Harvey died in 1901 but his company prospered until the late 1960s.

Courtesy Private Collection.

Each print is accompanied by a copy of the interior menu where available.

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