Leavenworth was founded in 1892, shortly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in the area to begin construction of its route across Stevens Pass towards Seattle, which was completed on January 6, 1893. The town grew around the railroad, as Great Northern operated mines and lumber mills in the area, until the railroad relocated its train operations in 1926. Great Northern ceased its regular passenger train service to Leavenworth in the mid-1950s, but continued to run special trains from Seattle to serve spectators for the city's annual ski jumping competition.