PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Historical Society has received a $200,000 challenge grant that will help pay for part of its costs during the City Hall remodeling project and enhance its humanities program.
The grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities was announced Tuesday in the lobby of the historical city hall, 540 Water St.
“We are pleased to receive this prestigious grant,” said Bill Tennent, director of the historical society.
“Our capital campaign committee has been working long and hard toward the restoration of City Hall, and our hope is that these funds will inspire others to contribute toward the project.”
Terms of the grant require the historical society to provide a 3-to-1 match, which means it will need $800,000 to expand and enhance facilities and humanitarian programming though the restoration of the interior shell of City Hall.
More than $200,000 has already been raised to meet the grant requirements.
Call for bids nearing
City staff is preparing materials to call for bids to remodel the building, which includes seismic protection.
“This throws out the challenge to the community to get going right now (with fund-raising),” said Kevin Harris, historical society president.
Harris said he thinks the timing of the grant is perfect for the upcoming construction project because it gives city officials latitude to make choices about the work on the building now rather than later.
“Massive,” is how Harris described the fund-raising effort that is expected.