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Our little tourist town of Winthrop, WA is still standing, and we thank firefighters for their heroic efforts.

Winthrop is nestled in the heart of the North Cascades National Park, and with numerous pristine places to recreate, it has also had many of the same challenges as other communities in the last 18 months. First, COVID-19 left our hotels empty and locals unemployed, then an employee shortage as summer 2021 grew near.

The final hit was two nearby fires, with each fire impacting tens of thousands of acres and threatening homes and livelihoods. It coated our skies with smoke and closed the most beautiful scenic byway in the state. The North Cascades Scenic Highway brings many thousands of visitors, primarily during the summer months. With its closure, restaurants were among the most severely impacted businesses.

A Herculean Sacrifice for Heroes

After all of these setbacks, you’ll see what Winthrop is really made of. Like most small towns, we have strong backs and soft hearts. Not knowing if their businesses would survive these fires or the accompanying economic downturn, several local restaurants dug deep and offered a huge thanks to the firefighters who were saving the town. This effort was a community wide collaboration, with locals helping businesses cover the costs. Restaurants paid their employees to serve free food not only to firefighters but also those displaced by the fires. Most offered this on the past two Sundays, but many others offered these deals for a majority of the duration of the fires.

Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon headed up the effort and asked for donations on their Facebook page to invite community members to the event, and there were many who generously contributed.

Seth Miles, the owner of Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon stated how it all got started: “As most people will tell you when there’s a wildfire nearby, we all want to give something back to the firefighters who are working to defend our homes and neighborhoods, but there is often little we can do. When we at Jack’s started offering our Employee meal discount (50%) to all firefighters and displaced residents in mid-July, we immediately started receiving donations from local residents who wanted to help cover the meal costs. The generosity from community inspired and allowed us, along with Old Schoolhouse Brewery and East 20 Pizza, to offer free meals for the last two Sundays to everyone working on the fire crews. Over the last three weeks we’ve raised $5141.45 in direct donations, as well as over $1600 in gift card purchases, which we used to directly pay for meals.”

“All together we have provided 355 free meals and 1323 discounted meals.” Miles continued.

This is all possible because of …”the generosity and giving nature of our community, coming together to show our appreciation to the fire crews for all their hard work.”

You won’t find Old Schoolhouse Brewery tooting their own horn, but in a message to staff members a manager stated: “Thanks for keeping the energy high and being so upbeat in spite of the fires. We had a super successful Sunday last week of giving away food to firefighters and those who are displaced–we gave away almost $1700 in food, and the community donated most of the funds to cover that! We also just raised over $3000 for the Volunteer Firefighter Benevolent Fund from our Fire6 IPA. Very exciting!”

Several businesses offered discounts every day, not just on August 1st.

Estuardo Collier, manager at East 20 Pizza, stated that they gave away about four thousand dollars worth of food to firefighters. “The Vinmo idea from Seth at Jack’s was brilliant! A real sense of community and oneness. I’ve never felt we were competitors, but to show our solidarity to the the community was priceless. Only good comes of that.”

Collier went on to explain why he so admires the local heroes who saved our community. “I was a forest firefighter in 1999. I know what it’s like. The best way to describe is, hard *#@ ?”*%^ work!! I’m thankful I don’t have to do that job anymore. These guys were extremely thankful!”

The firefighters actually begged to pay and tipped the servers very generously. “I’ve been extremely blessed by  East 20 Pizza, along with Lindsay and Luke Evens is to help support our Valley when we can. I’m thankful to all our employees because without them none of this happens!!” Collier concluded.

Rocking Horse Bakery gave over $1500 away in food according to owner Mark Westerfield.

We are so grateful to live is such a fantastic community and that is has not only survived these challenges, but it continues to thrive.

With Highway 20 open, and the smoke clear, we hope our visitors will return to continue enjoying the magic of our valley.

CONTEST | YOU CAN WIN A FREE NIGHT IN WINTHROP IF YOU CORRECTLY GUESS WHEN THE HIGHWAY WILL OPEN.

Each winter Washington State Route 20 (the North Cascades Highway) closes for the winter, due to heavy snow accumulation and avalanche danger. This highway, built in 1972, is considered one of the most scenic drives in the Pacific Northwest. Each spring, when Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announces the clearing of the highway, there is much anticipation for the opening date of this beautiful byway.

On April 5th, WSDOT announced they were clearing SR 20, indicating that the pass usually opens four to six weeks after the crew begins their dangerous work.

THE CONTEST

Here’s how it works: First your guess a date when you think the highway will open, which enters you for the contest. When USDOT announces the highways opening, if you guessed correctly, you can spend a free night in Winthrop on the date the highway opens. The last date you can guess is April 26th. See rules and regulations below.

AbbyCreek Inn in Winthrop, WA is the generous sponsor of this contest.

Rules and Regulations:

1. No purchase is required to enter the contest
2. This contest is promoted by AbbyCreek Inn and the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce.
3. Must be 25 or older to enter.
4. Only available at participating hotels.
5. Limited to availability.
6. By entering this contest you are consenting to receive email promotions from Winthrop Washington.
7. You may enter to win no later than April 26, 2021.
8. The winners will receive one room worth up to $149 dollars. The room must be used on the date the highway opens. It is not transferrable, and cannot be used on any other date, although it can be combined for a multi-night stay (with the winning date being the free night).
9. The odds of winning are one in 49 (49 dates to choose from).
10. One entry per person.
11. The free room is only available in the town of Winthrop on the date SR 20 opens in the spring of 2021. Anyone from any geographic area can enter.
12. The winners will be notified on the date SWDOT announces that SR 20 opens.
13. Winners must be presents on the night in Winthrop on the date the highways opens to utilize their prize.
14. The winners names will not be published.
15. For a list of winners, please contact the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce.
16. Winners are responsible for applicable state or federal taxes.

In 1941, Winthrop, Washington was a very small logging town, homesteaded from the local mining quarries back in the 1850’s, with several ranches around. When the spring thaw brought the dirt roads back to view after months of being hidden under a blanket of snow, the loggers, and ranchers would gather for a spring celebration.

Back in the early days, these were unofficial gatherings of some rough riders who (usually) knew how to hold their whiskey. By 1945, there began an annual parade and the heritage event – 49er Days was born, 76 nostalgic years ago.

Back then, this valley was the very end of the road, before highway 20 connected the valley to the Northwest corner of Washington state (during the months when the highway is passable). These celebrations revitalized this little valley with a liveliness that only the Wild West can provide, replete with barn dances and hoedowns.

The book The Virginian (1909,by Owen Wister) was based on Winthrop and had circulated around enough to draw some attention to the valley as well. At least one story from the book really happened in Winthrop.

If you can believe it, families came in their wagons from several miles around to join in the barn dance. The original town dance hall was a Quonset hut that caved in from heavy snowfall in the 1970’s when a group of volunteers worked to together to raise the current Winthrop Barn Auditorium from the ground for future coronations and dances. When the residents were having their hoedown in the barn, the babies were usually left in a room designated for them to sleep in. Some tricky fellow went in and switched the babies in their baskets while the dancing got ruckus and no one noticed until the wagon was a ways down the road. Tough to imagine in these days, right?

Ray Campbell, a true cowboy, and a current board member of the 49ers heritage event recalls growing up going to these barn dances. “The parking lot would be jammed full of cars and back in the day there would have been horses too.” He remembers these barn dances even more than the parades.

Two major changes brought major revitalization to the authentic “49ers Days” event.

The first event was in 1970 when the town knew the North Cascade Highway would be opening, and Winthrop would no longer be the end of the road. Cars would be driving through by the hundreds to see one the most beautiful scenic byways in the nation, and have unprecedented access to pristine outdoor recreation. The residents of the town got ahead of the change and renovated the storefronts back to their 1850’s look complete with wooden boardwalks and places to tie up horses. The Western look of the town was preserved and 49er Days was the town’s crown jewel event to show off its western roots!

WOGA Joins the Festivities

Now in the 1980’s the Washington Outfitters and Guides Association (WOGA) were in the prime of their day. These sportsmen, lead groups of packers through the federal and state land on horseback to experience the natural resources this state is proud to preserve. The sportsmen from across the state would rendezvous in various locations for an annual celebration – Puyallup, Ellensburg, and then someone asked about Leavenworth. When some red tape made things look too tricky for a Leavenworth rendezvous, the name of the town of Winthrop came up and it seems like a perfect fit.

Tom Graves who remains a key member of the 49er Days planning committee (pictured below) and a character named Claude set to work planning out a route for the 3-4 day horseback camping trek starting in Pateros, winding through Finley Canyon and ending up in Winthrop.

They researched the landowners and made decisions over whiskey at Sam’s place until a plan was hatched. Some of the land owners were sketchy individuals who had no connection to Tom or Claude but every single one of them agreed to allow the packers to cross or even camp on their land. Some of people who seemed the most likely to say no were just elated to participate and went out of their way to make the packers comfortable.

That first year the outfitters camped on the baseball diamond across from the Barn. This was in the early 1990’s. There were camp fires, storytelling, whiskey, and some of the best cowboy poets in the nation.

The event has been held in Winthrop every year on Mother’s Day weekend. Even this year in 2021 you can see the horsemen ride into town around noon on Friday all dusty and parched. Many years they even bring along at least one authentic covered wagon!

The encampment has moved locations, though, across the street in Mack Lloyd Park next to the Winthrop Barn Auditorium where the barn dances continue to be held (aside from when there’s a global pandemic). The sportsmen set up nostalgic canvas tents and sell goods straight out of them during the day. Each year on Mother’s Day weekend, you can experience this heritage event at the Cowboy Breakfast, along with a dinner they also host.

This is the main fund raiser for WOGA in their work with legislation to continue to allow horses on public lands. The back country horsemen care deeply about preserving these natural resources and have volunteered hundreds of hours in maintaining the trails to be used for years to come.

This year marks the 76th annual event. It was a major disappointment when the diamond year of 49er Days couldn’t take place. We felt especially sad for the senior class royalty who had waited their whole lives to be in the parade and wouldn’t get another chance.

The parade isn’t the only tragedy of COVID-19. In the fall of 2020 the Washington Outfitters and Guides Association lost a member from the Leavenworth Chapter. This year’s 49er Days will be dedicated to Sandy Wick and Shirley Haase who passed in 2020. One was due to COVID-19 and the other was not. Then again in March of 2021 even closer to home, another life was lost to COVID-19 from our own community, and one of the few female members of the heritage event planning committee. We are so saddened by the losses of these precious lives and all of the lives taken by the global pandemic.

Below you can take a walk through the newspaper archives of 49er Days events in the past. Special thanks to the Methow Valley News for preserving these archives and making them available to the public.

Upon entering the newspaper archives, the first page I laid my eyes was our most honored member of the 49ers planning committee, Tom Graves. This photo was posted in the newspaper around the time of the third annual heritage event. Tom continues to be an important part of the planning committee every year.

Some of these photos are cut off due to their margins being covered by the way the newspapers are bound together, but I did my best to show as much of the pages as possible without damaging them.

If you’d like to see the photos better, click on each one to see a high-resolution version.

Click here for more details on the history of Winthrop WA prior to State Highway 20 crossing over the North Cascade Mountain range.

Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate, the leading residential real estate firm in Central Washington, has continued their investment in community food banks this holiday season.

The firm made donations totaling $10,000 to local non-profit organizations this month, helping families provide necessities, food, and toys for the holiday season. Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate operates full-service real estate offices in Wenatchee, Chelan, and Winthrop and has served north central Washington residents for over 40 years.

Coldwell Banker Cascade donated $4,000 to Serve Wenatchee’s Fresh Hope Market, a local community food bank that provides a variety of items a family may need to fill the gaps month to month, ranging from food to hygiene products.

“Our firm was happy to support the great work of Serve Wenatchee. The Fresh Hope Market allows families to choose the fresh produce, meats, baked goods, and other food items they want and need. It’s a great model,” said Adam Rynd, owner and designated broker of Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate. The donation was made in conjunction with a local REALTORS® campaign that raised over $22,000 from several real estate firms.

An additional $4,000 donation was sent to the Manger Mall operated by Chelan Valley Hope and a $2,000 donation was made to the Manger Mall operated by The Cove Methow Valley. Both Chelan and Methow Valley Manger Malls provide toys to children, ages infant to 18, who may otherwise not receive presents on Christmas.

“Our Lake Chelan office has supported Manger Mall with toy donations for several years,” said Rynd. “This year they were unable to collect toys. We felt it was especially important to help their efforts and expand our support to the Methow Valley. The cash donations provide gift certificates that local families can use in small businesses, helping both the recipients and businesses that are struggling due to the pandemic.”

The holiday season can be a difficult time of year for countless families who work hard to provide for their loved ones. This year has been particularly challenging for many families due to increased unemployment from pandemic-related business closures. These donations from Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate are aimed at easing financial and emotional pressure on families working hard to make ends meet.

As the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions continue – Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate felt it was important to partner with all three local non-profit organizations to support their community efforts.

About Coldwell Banker ® Cascade Real Estate

The COLDWELL BANKER CASCADE REAL ESTATE team is ready to help you find your home in this unique and enchanting place. As the #1 Real Estate Firm in North Central Washington, our friendly team of 75+ LOCAL real estate agents provides professional, world-class real estate services with integrity. We can help you realize your dream of owning a piece of North Central Washington, as we have for so many clients in our 40+ years!

Our firm includes brokerage offices in Wenatchee, Chelan, and Winthrop and we have specialists in all types of property: full- time residences, vacation homes and cabins, ranches, riverfront, vacant land, commercial properties, and off-grid getaways. Please browse our Property Search, with listing details on all properties for sale throughout North Central Washington. Learn how to plan for buying real estate or prepare to sell your property in the Buyer and Seller sections. Visit the Meet our Team page to get to know our local brokers ready to guide you in your search. When you are ready to learn more and work with the best real estate team in North Central Washington, give us a call or send an email. We truly love where we live, and we love what we do!

About Coldwell Banker ®

Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker ® organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate. ColdwellBanker ® is the oldest national real estate brand in the United States and today has a network of more than 90,000 sales agents working inapproximately 3,100 offices in 50 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker brand is known for creating innovative consumer services as recently seen by being the first national real estate brand to create an iPad application and the first to fully harness the power of video in real estate listings, news and information through its Coldwell Banker On Location SM YouTube channel.

The Coldwell Banker system is a leader in specialty markets such as resort, new homes and luxury properties through its Coldwell Banker Previews International ® marketing program. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services.

Many visitors have been asking how our tiny tourist town has been doing during the worldwide pandemic. Of course, the answer is always evolving. Here’s an honest perspective about the impact from a (relatively new) local.

COVID-19 Impact

Living in a tiny town with one clinic, and a majority of our residents being retirees, we were set up for a very fearful situation at best, and a disaster at worst.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our mayor, Sally Ranzau, as well as commitment from local businesses, we have essentially kept COVID out of our remote town. (Knock on wood.) According to Okanogan County Health, at the time of writing this blog, there have been 11 confirmed cases in the Methow Valley and no deaths.

The Mayor, and the City Council put up posters, large wooden signs around town, encouraged businesses to follow the state guidelines, and provided free masks. We are grateful for local businesses, and visitors who continue to help contain the virus.

Local nonprofit, TwispWorks, is helping businesses navigate the protocols and is providing small business grants to offset the challenges.

Businesses are Resilient

Some of our local businesses have reported an increase in revenue while others have struggled. The sit-down restaurants have been hit hard in particular. Several successful businesses have changed hands since March including Kind Grinds, The Cascades Outdoor Store and Winthrop Mountain Sports. Riverside Grill which has been closed for about four years has been purchased and is being renovated.

Our local, independent movie theater, the Barnyard Cinema, and the Shafer Museum have not officially opened their doors as of yet. We have lost Kittie’s Old Time Photo Parlor for good. One retail location is available next to The French Quail. One more retail location will be coming available as soon as construction on the new Winthrop Library is complete.

Considering the numbers of businesses permanently closing in other communities, we count ourselves fortunate. We are aware of the fact that local businesses depend on the revenue from our busy touristy summers to make it though the less busy months. (Fall, winter, and spring are a great time to visit in an authentic, socially-distancing way.)

Up in Smoke

The wild fires across the west coast in September impacted the ability of locals and visitors to enjoy the last weeks of summer in the valley, but locals knew better than to complain.

The smoke has covered us in summers past and many of us have lost our homes to its hungry flames. Winthrop residents wanted to help when fires broke out on the eastern side of Okanogan County. Locals offered those in need clothing, essentials, and even hay for the livestock of those displaced. Okanogan Wildfire Relief Fund

Winter Sports

We are looking forward to a strong winter season with our alpine ski hill, Loup Loup Ski Bowl, offering twice as much indoor space after a successful construction project.

Our world-famous cross-country trails, Methow Trails, will boast of more miles of groomed trails than ever! They will also offer online passes so you can enjoy nature without the need to go into a shop for the purchase.

Although organized sports are on a hiatus across the state. However, our outdoor ice rink, The Winthrop Rink, has worked closely with the Governor’s office to allow for open skate, skate lessons, and skate rentals. They might be able to organize some adult tournaments later in the winter if further approval allows.

Winter sports like snowshoeing, fat biking, snowmobiling and other similar sports shouldn’t be effected.

Other Impacts

Another huge impact of this worldwide pandemic has been our housing market. Vacant land and homes have been selling like hotcakes around here. Locals who rent have been particularly hit hard by this trend. The Methow Housing Trust works to increase the valley’s affordable housing.

I heard a rumor that the local school is seeing an increase of enrollment from families who have moved into their second homes here. I don’t have any evidence or data to show if this is true. The local school district is offering in-person instruction two days a week for all of the pupils, K-12. They are going above and beyond by offering students free breakfast, lunch, and transportation, as well a school-sponsored outdoor social learning pods.

Overall, the business owners, residents of Winthrop and the entire Methow Valley are among some of the most optimistic and resilient people you’ll ever meet. Our outdoor recreation continues to be worth the short drive from anywhere in the state of Washington.  

When this pandemic is over, we hope you’ll think of us when you need a getaway. We are thinking of you and hope you’re well too.

How has 2020 impacted your town?

-Anne Young
Winthrop Marketing Director