The Indian Detours Couriers Knew All the Detours

As Hunter Clarkson was designing the Indian Detours in 1925, he realized that he would need highly qualified guides on the tours. The guides would have to be extremely knowledgeable about the history of New Mexico and Arizona, the landscapes, the Indians, Hispanic traditions, and so on. Clarkson was fortunate to stumble upon Erna Fergusson's Koshare Tours, which had been leading automobile tours from Albuquerque and Santa Fe since 1921 to the local Indian pueblos. Fergusson had a bevy of well-qualified female tour guides who could quickly be inserted into the Indian Detours. Clarkson purchased Fergusson's business, and the Indian Detours Couriers were born. 

Hunter Clarkson and Erna Fergusson decided on the qualifications for the Indian Detours Couriers. The women had to be college graduates, at least 25 years old, with a familiarity of the Southwest and preferably able to speak Spanish because most of the Indians of the pueblos could speak Spanish. Training for the first women Couriers began on April 15, 1926, only a month before the first Detour on May 15, 1926. Two of the Couriers had been with Koshare tours, and they helped with the training. The Couriers were given an enormous amount of historical material to memorize from scripts and manuals created by Fergusson.

It was certainly not easy for the Indian Detours Couriers what with the constant travel and being a kind and knowledgeable hostess to the dudes. The Couriers were paid $150/month with an extra $10/month if they were fluent in another language. They were not allowed to accept tips from the dudes, but if a dude insisted on tipping a Courier, the Courier could discreetly suggest that upon returning home, the dude could "mail her a gift." All expenses away from home base were paid by Fred Harvey- meals, accommodations, entrance fees, and the women were able to save enough to buy fine Indian jewelry which became a part of their required Courier costume. That costume consisted of a cloche hat with a thunderbird pin logo of the Fred Harvey Company, a colorful velveteen blouse, a silver squash blossom necklace, a silver concha belt, and a large pleated dark skirt. Couriers could, and often did, marry the drivers with whom they traveled hundreds of miles. Such marriages were actually encouraged by Fred Harvey as it ensured stability in the Courier and Driver workforce.