Harvey was transformed into a bustling centre of activity in the early 1900's. The proposed railroad of 1856 was finally a reality in 1869, travelling through the heart of Harvey. The surrounding businesses came to depend on the railroad for supplies. Tourism was also expanding.
Hotels were constructed in the village to accommodate the travellers coming in from the railway. One of the smaller hotels was the Lorne Hotel run by a Miss Saunders from Prince William. The Holland Hotel had operated for a time; it had burned and was rebuilt. The small structure could not keep up with the flow of patrons and was sold.
The Lakeview Hotel operated from 1878 to 1938 under the Glenndennings. The structure was also used as a post office It was sold to the Coffey's who turned it into a grocery store and butcher shop. The Coffey House, as it was then called, was sold in 1967 and turned into apartments. It is presently owned by Floyd Thompson.
In 1905 Thomas Robison began construction on the Robison Hotel. It was a large structure located on what is now the grassy knoll near W.W.E Smith Store. It consisted of 50 rooms. The hotel provided shelter for those passengers on stop-overs from the station. Many people from Fredericton would come out for the night to sample the food, hospitality and entertainment. Many tourists came via the railway and many Boston residents stayed for extended lengths of time. Thomas Robison died in 1911, and his widow continued to manage the hotel. Her brother-in.-law Allen took over in 1918 and changed the name to Brunswick House. He died in 1922 but his wife continued to run Brunswick House until 1926 when an acetylene explosion in the basement razed the structure to the ground.
The C.P.R Station was an attraction itself with it's cedar sculptures; it looked like a miniature park complete with flowers. The park was photographed by thousands of people over the years. People from all over the world stopped at the little Harvey Station.
Slowly the need for a railroad faded away as it did in many small stations all over the country. The Harvey Railway Station was slated for destruction in 1962 but was saved by Charlie Little. Using his ingenuity, he towed the Station across Cranberry Lake and into Little's Lakeshore where it remains to present day serving as a cottage. It stands testimony to the booming years of Harvey.
Reference - Excerpt from Harvey and Area 1968 to 1992, published by the Harvey Improvement Association, 1992.
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