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Leavenworth is one of those places you just LIKE to visit.
One big draw for me is the food... I LOVE German food! But
that's not all... its in the mountains, its small, has an
interesting history, it has hiking trails galore, it has
quaint and interesting shops, there's activities pretty near
year round... its a community with a lot to offer... you go
there to have fun, and usually you'll come away happy with
your choice to go there. |
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It wasn't always this way, though...
The Leavenworth area got its first homesteaders in 1885
when a handful of people settled on the Icicle Flats. The
settlement was called Icicle.
By 1890 settlers were moving to the Chumstick Valley
then called Beaver Valley. They cleared land, farmed, logged
and raised livestock, mainly sheep. Mining for precious metals
occupied some adventurers. |
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In 1900, the rail road came to town, and in 1902, a sawmill
went in, taking advantage of the ease of shipping. The
town was in a boom that lasted until 1920, when both the
sawmill and the rail line left town. The mines, and jobs on
road work improvements in the area sustained the town through
the Great Depression, but by 1950, the town was nearly empty,
and without much hope for its future. |
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In 1962, the town, primarily made up of German immigrants,
noticed that people were visiting the town during drives from
the city into the mountainous areas, and decided to focus on
tourism, and started to make itself over into a Bavarian
Village. In time more and more old buildings were remodeled
to fit the new theme. New buildings went up in the Bavarian
style. Before long, Leavenworth had a nucleus of residents
who, through study and travel abroad, were experts in Bavarian
architecture. Today city ordinances require buildings to meet
Bavarian architectural codes. |
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It has been an incredible success! More than a million
people stream through this little town of 2,100, and the town
is known for its curious artistry, great food, fun
entertainment, and incredible scenery...
Its a great place to visit... especially nearing Christmas
time! |
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