Leavenworth in the USA A Bavarian US village becomes the Christmas capital
Leavenworth in the US state of Washington was going down the drain, but then decades ago business owners came up with the idea of redesigning the town center in the style of a Bavarian village. Successful.
25.12.2024, 22:47
dpa
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- Leavenworth, Washington State, is the Christmas capital of the Pacific Northwest.
- Desperate business owners have remodeled the downtown area in the style of a Bavarian village.
- More than half a century later, the result attracts tourists from near and far to the city all year round.
The smell of bratwurst and pretzels fills the air. Horses pull a carriage full of tourists along the main street. A baby in his mother's arms reaches out to touch a shop window, peering at the sequin-covered reindeer behind it, while colorful Christmas decorations dangle nearby: Welcome to Leavenworth, Washington State, the Christmas capital of the Pacific Northwest USA.
Decades ago, Leavenworth was virtually a ghost town on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains and one of the poorest communities in the region. The mines and sawmill had closed - and even the railroad had ceased operations. In the 1960s, desperate business owners took a chance. Without any help from the state or federal authorities, they began to take out loans and redesign the town center in the style of a Bavarian village.
More than half a century later, the result attracts tourists from near and far to the town all year round - hikers, skiers, fly fishermen, shopping enthusiasts and day trippers from Seattle. About three million visitors came last year, according to Matt Cade, president of the Greater Leavenworth Museum.
The crowds have raised concerns about the cost of living. Recently, there have been efforts to ensure that life in Leavenworth remains affordable for people employed in the tourism industry. For example, the state and federal government have made funds available for affordable housing.
During the holidays, the city's popularity swells even more. In December, the city center shines with the warm glow of a German Christmas market. Choirs sing Christmas carols, food stalls fill the air with smells and there is a gingerbread house competition.
Christmas lights stay on
The long-standing practice of turning on the Christmas lights in downtown Leavenworth on Saturday and Sunday evenings attracted more and more people. Eventually, organizers decided to keep them lit from Thanksgiving through February.
"Every time I go there, all I feel is joy and excitement," said Alison Epsom of Sultan Township, who came to town with her husband, Brian Jolly, and their eight-month-old daughter, Acacia. The couple met almost two decades ago when they were both performing at an international dance festival. On one of their first dates, Jolly invited Epsom, a native of England, to Leavenworth. "I knew I only had one chance for her to be here, and I wanted her to fall in love with me," he recalls.
As they drove over the mountain pass on the way, she told him to stop. She jumped outside without her coat and built a little snowman. "I had never seen so much snow," says Epsom. "So that was absolutely magical for me."
Reaching for the white owl
The annual visit to Leavenworth has become a family tradition for the couple. Each year, they pick out new ornaments for their Christmas tree at the Kris Kringl store. The town is a core element of the couple's love story. Jolly even proposed here on a horse-drawn sleigh.
This year, it was the daughter's turn to choose the new Christmas tree decorations. Her parents decided to buy the first piece she touched. She reached for a white owl, which now hangs on the Christmas tree, along with the glittering red and gold star that Epsom chose on her first visit to Leavenworth.