Port Townsend: Rep. Dicks on whirlwind tour

PORT TOWNSEND — U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks saw a whirlwind of history on the mend Tuesday during stops in Port Townsend.

The District 6 Democrat from Bremerton toured historic preservation projects he has helped fund through congressional appropriations, including the old City Hall and the Jefferson County Courthouse clock tower.

“This is why we have Save America’s Treasures,” Dicks said, gesturing at the Madison Street City Hall project’s exterior that dates back more than 100 years.

The project connects old City Hall with the new annex now housing city employees.

Save America’s Treasures is a grant source administered by the U.S. Parks Service, from which the old City Hall renovation project was appropriated $280,000, according to Dicks.

That appropriation was matched by the city, he said.

City Manager David Timmons and Bill Tennent, Jefferson County Historical Society director, led Dicks on tours of the old and new city halls.

The historic City Hall project is receiving coats of paint in the final stages of its renovation.

Once completed and reopened, the 115-year-old building will once again house Jefferson County Museum and the Port Townsend City Council meetings.

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