The scent of bratwurst and pretzels filled the air as horses clopped down the main street, hauling a carriage full of tourists. Nestled in her mother's arms, a baby reached out to touch a shop window display, peering toward the sequin-covered reindeer behind it, as colorful ornaments twirled nearby. Welcome to Leavenworth, Washington, the Christmas capital of the Pacific Northwest.
Decades ago, Leavenworth was a near ghost town on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, one of the region's poorest communities. The mines and the sawmill had closed, and even the railroad left. In the 1960s, desperate business owners made a serious gamble.
Without any state or federal help, they began taking out loans and remodeling the downtown in the style of a Bavarian village, the reports. More than half a century later, the result brings tourists from near and far all year long—hikers and skiers, river rafters and fly-fishers, shoppers and day-trippers from Seattle, some 3 million visitors in all last year, according to Matt Cade, president of the Greater Leavenworth Museum. The crush has prompted concerns about the cost of living, and recent efforts, including some state funding for affordable apartments, have focused on ensuring that tourism industry workers can live in town.
The town peaks in popularity during the holidays. In December, it takes on the ruddy, warm glow of a German Christmas market, with the magic of choirs, carolers, food vendors, and a gingerbread house contest. .
