Leavenworth, Washington, was a former logging town in decline when, in 1962, a committee of local business people and residents sought to revitalize the community by remodeling the downtown area in the style of a traditional Bavarian village, with the aim of turning around its fortunes with tourism income.
While Leavenworth had no real historical connections to Germany, its location in Washington’s Cascade Mountains gave it a convincing backdrop to emulate a village in the Bavarian Alps. Work began on transforming Leavenworth’s appearance in the mid-1960s, and to this day the City of Leavenworth has building codes that ensure developments and signage maintain the Bavarian theme.
Leavenworth attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually and it hosts a variety of festivals and events, including illuminating the town in festive lights between thanksgiving and February every year.
