DUNGENESS — The big old schoolhouse that has been a Dungeness Valley icon of history for more than 100 years will be celebrated with its fresh, new coat of cream-colored paint complemented by dark trim dubbed “Dungeness Red.”
The Museum & Arts Center, which owns and operates the schoolhouse at 2781 Towne Road, plans to put on a community pie social at the schoolhouse from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The $30,000 paint job, a more historically accurate look, required some repair of window frames and foundation work. It was completed last week.
The celebration comes three months after Port Angeles-based Northwest Inside Out Painting Inc., which was contracted for the repainting project, began prep work.
In that time, the two-story structure has been power-washed, paint-scraped, primer-coated and freshly painted to further preserve the weather-worn 1892 building and reflect its original color scheme.
Two coats of oil-based, stain-blocking, bonding primer were applied to the structure, followed by two coats of Rodda Horizon Green Seal-certified paint that is low in volatile organic compounds and mold-resistant.
“The Dungeness Schoolhouse has a history of being well-loved and preserved in the community, and we’re continuing that tradition and ramping it up a notch,” MAC Executive Director DJ Bassett said.
“One of the biggest problems with the preservation of historical structures is lack of use. The Dungeness Schoolhouse is an integral part of the Museum & Arts Center, and we are working to increase its use, including having it open to the public on an ongoing basis.”
Numerous volunteers and supporters — and some local eateries including The Red Rooster Grocery — are donating pies, which will be offered with whipped cream, ice cream, coffee, tea and punch for a suggested donation.
Those who attend the social will also have an opportunity to discuss Sequim-Dungeness Valley days gone by with several longtime area residents, some of whom attended the Dungeness School as children.
Rodda Paint in Sequim donated the 30 to 40 gallons of off-white-to-cream-colored paint used on the body of the schoolhouse and custom-mixed the 15 gallons of fade-resistant Dungeness Red paint, which was applied to all window and door casings, fascias and other trim, and the concrete foundation.
Project assistance also came from Savage Glass Services of Sequim, which was hired to re-glaze numerous windows that had brittle and/or crumbling glazing and replace glass panes on numerous damaged and/or previously painted-over windows.
Northwest Inside Out Painting Inc. owner Pam Boyd said she also facilitated the repair of the building’s crumbling concrete foundation.
The repainting project, which was funded largely through MAC fundraisers and private donations, is the latest step in the MAC’s continuing commitment and efforts to preserve the local historical landmark, which operated as a school from 1893 to 1955 and has been owned and operated by the MAC since 1995.
It is now available for rented use year-round, with rental fees helping to support ongoing building maintenance costs, by phoning 360-582-0584.
Additional information about the Dungeness Schoolhouse, including its history and a printable rental agreement form, can be found on the MAC’s website, www.macsequim.org.
Rental agreement forms, which include rental rates and a detailed facility description, are also available at the MAC Exhibit Center, 175 W. Cedar St. in Sequim, and the MAC’s DeWitt Administration Center, 544 N. Sequim Ave. in Sequim.