Spring is the conventional time for stories of rebirth–the time of bunnies and baby chicks, tulips and daffodils and cherry blossoms. This story of a town reborn, however, came to me in the winter.
A Sleigh Ride.
‘Twas the week after Christmas, and my family was in Leavenworth in the mountains of Washington State. One daughter and her family had gone cross-country skiing at Stevens Pass that day. The rest of us were gathering at the edge of a snowy field, preparing for an old-fashioned sleigh ride.
A hefty, bearded man in a cowboy hat and several layers of plaid and checked shirts ushered us onto the sleigh. As befitted someone in charge of two powerful beasts and a sleigh full of people, he was totally at ease as he patted the big percherons’ flanks and then swung up onto his seat.
In the beginning, we rode quietly across the snowy field, listening to the sleigh bells, the horses’ plodding hooves, and the crunch of snow under the runners. My sister took photos of the trees and the horses’ butts.
“How many horses do you have?” my son-in-law asked our driver.
I didn’t hear the answer. Maybe they had too many horses to count. It was a year-round business, those horses—sleigh rides in the winter, pack trips the rest of the year. Leavenworth was a big tourist town. A mock Bavarian alpine village in the Cascade Mountains, a make-believe land of hanging flower baskets and gingerbread architecture that attracted millions of tourists each year with its cute shops and outdoor activities.
A Bavarian village in the United States?
The previous day my other son-in-law had asked me if Leavenworth had been settled by Germans. Was that why it looked like a Bavarian village? I leaned forward and asked our guide.
He laughed. “Nope,” he said. “The inspiration for it all was this guy, Bob Rogers. He was stationed in Bavaria during World War II, and he noticed how much the mountains there looked like our mountains.” Our driver went on to describe how the town had been dying ever since the Great Northern Railway Company had relocated to Wenatchee in the 1920s and the town’s only sawmill had closed down.
Then in 1958, Owen and Pauline Watson visited the Danish theme town of Solvang, CA, and the seed of the idea was born. Mr. Watson remodeled his Alpine Electric and Alpine Haus Gift Shoppe. The University of Washington Bureau of Community Development helped develop a plan. A committee raised money. And now a town of 1,965 residents hosts more than two million visitors each year. People stay in Leavenworth’s hotels and B&Bs. They go hiking, hunting, fishing, white water rafting and skiing. They come for the Bavarian Ice Fest, Maifest, the Accordian Celebration, Oktoberfest, the Christmas Lighting Festivals and more. And they shop and shop and shop in the cute little Bavarian-themed stores.
Coffee and hot chocolate in the warming tent
After our sleigh ride, we gathered in the warming tent for coffee and hot chocolate and cookies. I grabbed a cup of coffee and warmed my backside at the wood stove. Beside me, a couple from Guam rubbed their hands together and shook their heads. Why in the world, they asked, only half teasing, had they decided to travel to such a cold place in December? I gave my five-year-old grandson permission to take a cookie or two from the tin of Danish cookies, and as I reached for one myself, I thought of the yummy gingerbread cookies we bought the day before at The Gingerbread House.
It may not be spring yet, but Leavenworth’s rebirth from a town on the brink of extinction to this lively, prosperous town reminds me of springtime… minus the tulips and daffodils.
Aberdeen Washington is in a similar state as Leavenworth once was. Our sawmills have closed down and fishing isn’t what it once was. But on the bright side, the razor clams are now healthy and we have clam digs many times a year after about a decade of a clam disease that prevented digs
Also, Weyerhaeser recently sold its sawmill property to our Historical Seaport, under whose auspices we built and operate our sailing ship, the Lady Washington. It was built right here in Aberdeen and is a replica of Capt Robert Gray’s ship which he was piloting when he “discovered” our harbor which bears his name. (Of course, our native tribes already knew it was there!!)
The former mill site is large and we hope to have a thriving center there with shops, eating establishments, and a Nautical museum.
We now have two ships, having acquired the Hawaiin Chiefton which is also a wooden sailing ship; both ships travel around giving tours and trips, and sometimes being in movies such as Pirates of the Carribean. We hope to reinvent Aberdeen in much the same way as Leavenworth reinvented itself. Wish us luck!!
Barb, I do wish Aberdeen good luck. Leavenworth is such a fantastic example of what can be done. LaConner has also done well by making itself into a tourist destination.
Such a beautiful story, Nicki! And the photos, they make me actually like winter….lovely!
And don’t forget nearby Wenatchee’s annual Blue Grass Festival! Definitely worth the price of admission, particularly when paired with a weekend stay at one of Leavenworth’s lovely hotels or a quaint B&B. Lovely little slice of life, Nicki.
I’ve never been to the Blue Grass Festival. We’ll have to give it a try and, as you say, stay at a Leavenworth B&B.
We haven’t been to Leavenworth in quite a while. Our favorite time to go was in Jan. or Feb., the town was still decorated with all the Christmas lights, but was not crowded with
shoppers. That way we got to visit with the shop owners and enjoy the quiet of the town. It’s such a beautiful place…
It’s also nice in the spring and fall if you like to hike. The whole area is so beautiful!
Lovely post and lovely pictures. Especially appreciated here in California where we miss snow so much. Thank you.
Thank you, Evelyne. Actually, this winter we haven’t had more than a few flakes of snow in the Seattle area. We had to drive up into the mountains to find it.
How wonderful to come along with you!
Hi Christy. I’m glad you came along.
Love the top photo ~ a bright RED sleigh amid all the gray.
Thanks, Nancy. My sister gets the credits for the photos.
What a wonderful story! I just read Fannie Flagg’s latest book and one of the locations was Solvang CA. I never heard of it before. Now I heard it twice in just a few days.
What an interesting coincidence! I hadn’t heard of Solvang either until I started reading up on Leavenworth.
What a beautiful story, Nicki! Sometimes when you learn the story behind something or somewhere, you have a great appreciation of it!! And this post reminds me of Canadian winters and all the fun I had skating, sliding, skiing, and playing in the snow!!