Greater Leavenworth Museum

10/24/2026

Appleton: the town that nearly was.

As noted in Rollie Schmitten’s recent book on early Leavenworth history, agriculture opened up the Chumstick Valley for early homesteaders. Orchards were very profitable by the early 1900s, and after the WV&NR established rails up and over Beaver Hill, early speculators Peake & Bateman laid out what would nearly become the small town of Appleton.

Located at the end of the valley, just below Beaver Hill where Big and Little Chumstick Creek meet, it was cleared and platted in May, 1910, complete with a depot and hopes for a post office.

The photo of the depot has no information with it, so it could be at the origin, Plain, or conceivably Appleton.

10/23/2026

📣 Reminder!

Tomorrow is our biannual Cemetery Clean-Up! 🌿

Stop by anytime between 9 AM and 2 PM to lend a hand, enjoy some time with the community, and help preserve our historic sites.

Desserts and water will be provided, but please remember to bring your own gloves, rakes, and any other supplies you may need.

We appreciate everyone who helps us care for our local history, and we hope to see you there! 💚

10/10/2026

Devil's Rock.
Was Devil's Rock located on North Road, near the railroad overpass, or was it on the Chumstick? Or were there two separate formations? We believe they were removed for safety reasons. The last photo seems to have been taken from the top, giving a unique view of Leavenworth. Does anyone know when it/they were removed?

09/29/2026

🎉 Reminder! Tonight’s the night! 🎉

Join us tonight, September 29, at 6:30 PM as we celebrate 120 years of Leavenworth! 🏔️

📍 River Valley Commons Senior Center

Come enjoy an evening of local history and community as we celebrate this special milestone together.

We can’t wait to see you there!

09/26/2026

🍂 The Autumn Leaf Parade is almost here! 🍂

Tomorrow, Leavenworth will come together to celebrate one of our community’s favorite traditions- the Leavenworth Autumn Leaf Parade! We’re excited to be part of the festivities this year, and we’d love for you to come out and see our museum float as it makes its way through the parade. Be sure to give us a wave! 👋

The Autumn Leaf Festival has a long and colorful history in Leavenworth, with generations of community members coming together to celebrate the changing season and our wonderful town. 🍁

To celebrate the tradition, we’re sharing a look back at the history of the Autumn Leaf Festival. Take a moment to read the article on slide 5 by Pat Morris, and learn more about how this beloved community celebration came to be and how it has changed over the years.

We’ll see you at the parade! 🍂🎉

09/20/2026

Celebrating 120 Years of Leavenworth! 🎉

Join us as we celebrate 120 years of Leavenworth’s history and community! We’ll be screening the film Dare to Dream, along with the 2006 Centennial Parade, with a special introduction from local historian Byron Newell.

📅 Tuesday, September 29
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 River Valley Commons Senior Center

Come enjoy an evening of local history, memories, and celebration as we look back at the people and stories that have shaped Leavenworth over the past 120 years.

We hope to see you there! 🏔️🎬

09/05/2026

The Great Motorcycle Race, May 30, 1913.
When automobiles were still new and unaffordable for most, a cheaper alternative was the motorcycle. C.E. Warren, of Red Apple Auto Repair in Wenatchee, decided to promote the motorcycle by organizing a race from Wenatchee to Leavenworth. Presumably, these are the contestants posing at the Leavenworth halfway point. The winner was J. H. McDonald.

08/29/2026

A big thank you to the Greater Leavenworth Museum volunteers who spent last weekend serving as Recreation Ambassadors through the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce (Visit Leavenworth WA,) Ambassador Program.

During three weekends this summer, our ambassador volunteers welcomed visitors at the Icicle Gorge, Eightmile, and Stuart/Colchuck Lake trailheads, answered questions, encouraged responsible recreation, and helped care for some of the places that make our valley so special.

The Chamber's Summer Ambassador program end this Sunday, and we were able to provide 6 volunteers during three weekends throughout the summer. It’s a great way for us to give back to our community! And, our participation funds the Upper Valley Historical Society's mission to preserve and share the history of the Upper Valley by helping keep the museum open daily.

Here's a few photos from our volunteers this summer, and of the Enchantments many years ago. It's more important than ever to help educate those recreating on the land we are stewards of and do our part to help keep those areas clean and cared for. 🌲🗻💚

08/22/2026

New Views of Leavenworth

We recently found a few new photos of Leavenworth in our collection. The first photo was taken from Tumwater Mountain, looking down on Leavenworth Gardens, and provides another chance to play "Find Your House." While the date is unknown, it appears to be sometime in the late teens. If you have more information that could narrow down the date, we would love to hear it.
The second photo was taken from Mountain Home Road in 1925.
The third photo is actually two photos stitched together to create a panoramic view from Mountain Home Road. It has some interesting, unidentified buildings for you armchair historians. Enjoy.

08/10/2026

Kickstart your week by uncovering the hidden gems of Leavenworth's past! 📚️ Discover Rollie Schmitten's latest book, 'Leavenworth, The Shady Lady, Early History', and get ready to be inspired by the untold stories that shaped our community. Read more about it in Hazel Eschen's fascinating article in the Leavenworth Echo:

LEAVENWORTH – For local historian Rolland A. Schmitten, preserving history has never been about telling the most colorful story. It has always been about telling the truest one.  The …