Popular Vote winner Schooner Adventuress
May 13, 2010

2010 Partners in Preservation: Seattle-Puget Sound

American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are pleased to announce that 11 Seattle-Puget Sound area historic sites will receive grants as part of Partners in Preservation’s $1 million commitment to preservation efforts in the area.

In addition, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are giving a $5,000 award to each of the remaining 14 Partners in Preservation sites in recognition of their participation in the initiative and their commitment to preservation efforts.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the 2010 Partners in Preservation initiative.

Grants Awarded

Anderson Island Historical Society-Johnson Farm
9306 Otso Point Road, Anderson Island, Washington 98303

Since the 1800s, Anderson Island farmers have tilled the land of Johnson Farm. Today, under the tutelage of the Anderson Island Historical Society, the Johnson Farm serves as a living museum offering visitors a view of 19th century farm life. The Johnson Farm received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Bowman Bay Kitchen Shelter
Deception Pass State Park, Fidalgo Island, Washington 98277

The Bowman Bay Kitchen Shelter, part of a collection of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings constructed in the 1930s in Deception Pass State Park, has been recognized for its organic design that unites the shelter with the natural elements of the surrounding park. Today, the shelter maintains importance as a local gathering place. The Bowman Bay Kitchen Shelter received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Chapel Car 5 “Messenger of Peace”
38625 SE King Street, Snoqualmie, Washington 98065

The Chapel Car 5 “Messenger of Peace” is a rare surviving example of the traveling churches that were a key tool for the evangelists of the religious reawakening of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Having roamed 11 states for half a century, the Chapel Car 5 is now in the care of the Northwest Railway Museum, which is undergoing a rehabilitation to allow visitors to learn about and experience firsthand this little-known piece of America’s railway and religious heritage. Chapel Car 5 was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $50,000 to rehabilitate the car after years of deterioration.

Ferry House at Ebey’s Landing
Ebey Road, Coupeville, Whidbey Island, Washington 98239

The Ferry House has stood above the beach on Ebey’s Landing since 1859, making it one of the oldest residential buildings in the state of Washington. Today, it is a lasting example of life during the early days of settlement in the Pacific Northwest, serving both as an invaluable educational resource and an unforgettable icon in Ebey’s Landing, America’s first designated National Historical Reserve. The Partners in Preservation grant of $65,000 was used to make structural improvements, including seismic upgrades, that will allow more members of the community to use and benefit from the Ferry House.

Horiuchi’s Seattle Mural
Seattle Center, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, Washington 98109

Commissioned for the 1962 World’s Fair and designed by Paul Horiuchi, the Seattle Mural stands under the Space Needle at the heart of the Seattle Center campus. The Venetian glass mosaic mural remains a dazzling artistic landmark of Seattle. Horiuchi was one of only a handful of ethnic artists recognized in the mainstream arts world of mid-20th century America, and his colorful mural is an iconic reminder of the diversity of the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Mural received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Japanese Cultural & Community Center
1414 South Weller Street, Seattle, Washington 98144

The Japanese Cultural & Community Center (JCCCW) has served Seattle’s Japanese community from the first immigrants to those living here today. The building has served as a school, museum, gathering place, cultural center and even emergency housing for resettling Japanese Internment Camp internees after WWII. JCCCW is also home to the Japanese Language School, Nihongo Gakko, the oldest continually operating Japanese-language school in the continental US. In order to continue to serve future generations, the center was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $75,000 to remove existing asbestos and vinyl siding and restore its original wood siding and windows.

Keewaydin Clubhouse – VFW Post 5760
1836 72nd Avenue SE, Mercer Island, Washington 98040

A cornerstone of the Mercer Island community, Keewaydin Clubhouse has been a place for the community to gather for generations. Home to the members of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 5760 since the 1960s, the clubhouse’s name alludes to Longfellow’s poem Hiawatha: “I am going, O Nokomis / On a long and distant journey / To the portals of the Sunset / To the regions of the home-wind / Of the Northwest-Wind, Keewaydin.” The Keewaydin Clubhouse received a$5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

King Street Station
303 S Jackson Street, Seattle, Washington 98104

With a clock tower modeled after the Campanile di Piazza San Marco in Venice, King Street Station soars over the Seattle skyline with an impressive majesty. Having played a pivotal role in Seattle’s urban development, the station still stands as an icon of the city’s importance as a major center of the Pacific Northwest. The King Street Station received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Kirkland Arts Center
620 Market Street, Kirkland, Washington 98033

Housed in the original, historic building built by Kirkland’s founder, Peter Kirk, the Kirkland Arts Center represents a realization of the dream of eleven Kirkland citizens to share the gift of art with the community. The charming brick building contains airy studios in which students, teachers, and friends come together to create and appreciate art. Protecting this stately structure will ensure that the Kirkland Arts Center will be able to engage the Eastside community for years to come. The Kirkland Arts Center received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks
742 E Titus Street, Kent, Washington 98032

Since its installation in 1982, Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks has served as the cultural and physical heart of the Kent community. Internationally acclaimed as a rare example of Bauhaus style landscape design, Earthworks serves as functional public art as well as a stormwater detention dam for Mill Creek. The Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $70,000 to fund grading and drainage projects to restore the Earthworks’ design while allowing it to continue to protect downtown Kent from floodwaters.

Naval Reserve Armory-MOHAI
2700 24th Avenue East, Seattle, Washington 98112

Built in the period leading up to America’s involvement in World War II, the Naval Reserve Armory served as a training center for decades before its closure in the late 1990s. Now used as office space, the building’s transformation into a state-of-the-art, regional history museum by the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) has restored the retired building to a facility that once more serves the whole community. The Naval Reserve Armory received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Orting Soldiers Home – Garfield Hall
1301 Orting-Kapowsin Highway, Orting, Washington 98360

At the foot of majestic Mount Ranier, the Orting Soldiers Home has served U.S. veterans since 1891. One of the first buildings on the campus to be built, Garfield Hall once greeted veterans and visitors alike with grand white columns that gleamed in contrast to its solid brick walls. Orting Soldiers Home was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $70,000 to restore the deteriorating facade so that the building can once again serve the community as a home for chronically homeless veterans who have honorably served their country.

Point No Point Lighthouse
9005 Point No Point Road NE, Hansville, Washington 98340

Point No Point Lighthouse stands as a reminder of the maritime history of the Puget Sound region. Since 1879, Point No Point has been responsible for countless ships’ safe navigation to the ports of Puget Sound, helping direct traffic in its surrounding waters. A point of pride to area residents, the lighthouse will become a maritime museum once its restoration is complete. The $100,000 grant awarded by Partners in Preservation was used to make repairs to nearly all aspects of the lighthouse in order to protect it from the elements in years to come, and to complete restoration to transform the lighthouse into a maritime museum.

Port Townsend U.S. Customs House and Post Office
1322 Washington St, Port Townsend, Washington 98368

The Port Townsend U.S. Customs House and Post Office, built in 1893, is the oldest surviving, federally constructed post office in Washington State. The grand Romanesque building stands atop the bluff in Port Townsend as a reminder of the care and attention to detail put into the design of civic buildings at the turn of the 20th century. The Port Townsend U.S. Customs House and Post Office received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Schooner Adventuress
211 Seton Road, Port Townsend, Washington 98368

Winner of the popular vote. For nearly 100 years, the Schooner Adventuress has sailed the waters of the world as an emblem of the age of the grand schooners. Though the commercial role of these ships have been eclipsed by steam powered vessels, careful maintenance and preservation has allowed the Adventuress to continue sailing. Today, the Adventuress is a symbol for responsible stewardship of the fragile Puget Sound watershed as well as a place for area youth to learn about the environment and gain new confidence through working the ship’s sails. The Schooner Adventuress was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $125,000 to repair damage to the counter stern caused by the general wear and tear of life at sea.

Skansie Brothers Net Shed
3207 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor, Washington 98335

The Skansie Brothers Netshed’s rustic blue-painted wood siding and red roof are an iconic presence that defines Gig Harbor’s maritime heritage. This coveted waterfront property and open space, once used to spread out and dry tarred fishing nets, now plays host to festivals, performances and cultural activities year-round. The Skansie Brothers Net Shed was awarded a Partners in Preservation grant of $100,000 to restore structural integrity and improve public access to this centerpiece of the Gig Harbor community.

Spanish Steps
South 7th Street & Commerce Street, Tacoma, Washington 98402

The Spanish Steps, modeled after the famous steps in Rome, are the product of an age when urban designers believed beauty in cities would foster harmony in society. Used as a pedestrian connection between major roadways in Tacoma, the Steps also serve as an elegant backdrop for celebrations held by residents and visitors. In addition to rehabilitation of the Steps themselves, landscaping of the surrounding area will preserve and protect this important landmark. The Spanish Steps received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

The 5th Avenue Theatre
1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101

The 5th Avenue Theatre was built in 1926 with its interior modeled after the crowning achievements of Chinese architecture. The theatre was forced to close in the 1970s, but after the community rallied to save it, the theatre reopened in 1980. Three decades later, Seattle’s premiere musical theater venue hopes, to return lost luster to its lobby, allowing painted-over golden dragons in the ceiling coffers to be brought back to life and revealing three original murals that have been hidden behind blank panels for decades. Grant money from the Partners in Preservation program helped in efforts to return lost luster to its lobby, allowing painted-over golden dragons in the ceiling coffers to be brought back to life and revealing the three original murals that have been hidden behind blank panels for decades. The 5th Avenue Theatre received a $5,000 reward in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Theodor Jacobsen Observatory
Memorial Way, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

The first observatory and second oldest building on the University of Washington’s (UW) campus still stands today as a testament to the advances in astronomy over the past century and to the university’s rich history of scholarship. Theodor Jacobsen Observatory serves both as an educational facility and as homage to the men and women whose efforts advanced the science of astronomy. Proposed for demolition on three different occasions, three times the community refused to let it happen. Grant money awarded by the Partners in Preservation program helped in efforts to repair and restore the observatory’s early elegance and to protect the telescope it houses. The Theodor Jacobsen Observatory received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative.

Titlow Park Lodge
8425 6th Avenue, Tacoma, Washington 98466

Tacoma’s Titlow Park Lodge is poised to celebrate its centennial next year in graceful style. Originally a hotel, the Craftsman style building serves as Titlow Park’s premier event venue, a treasure well-loved by the Tacoma community and visitors alike. The Titlow Park Lodge received a $5,000 award in recognition of its participation in the Partners in Preservation 2010 initiative, to help finance repairs and to renew the authentic appeal of the lodge as well as help preserve the building for future generations.

Town Hall Seattle
1119 8th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101

Built as the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, Town Hall Seattle has been a First Hill landmark for nearly 90 years, making the transition from religious to secular use with grace. Partners in Preservation awarded $125,000 to Town Hall Seattle to help restore and seal the building’s iconic white terra-cotta exterior as well as to repair the prominent stained-glass window on the building’s south side.

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places. Savingplaces.org

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