Lincoln Building

In 1894, the Lincoln School opened for 1st to 8th graders in the Victorian seaport of Port Townsend. For nearly a century, the school was a place of learning, undergoing many changes and modifications, finally closing to students in 1980 due to concerns of fire safety. In the subsequent decades, the building was used for school district offices and storage until even those uses were deemed unsafe. The building has sat vacant on the Port Townsend High School campus since 2010. Many ideas for use have been explored, time and again coming up against financial or logistical barriers.

In 2012, voters approved a Capital Levy that included $500,000 to assist in taking down the Lincoln Building. In response to hearing the building would be removed, the Public Housing Authority (PHA) approached the School Board to see about using the building for housing. The School Board voted to pause the process of removal to allow time for the PHA to explore options.

After multiple years of deliberation and with support from the Jefferson County Historical Society, the PHA applied to list the building on the Register of Historic Places in hopes that greater visibility would attract more funding to restore it. In 2017 the Lincoln Building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That did not provide the returns hoped for and a viable project did not materialize.

Around 2020 there was renewed interest in repurposing some or all of the building for a performing arts center but due to its location on school property, no alcohol can be served on site making for a challenging business model. Shortly after that Port Angeles began work on their new performing arts center and the interest in that idea diminished.

In 2023 as part of a Long Range Planning process, the PT School Board decided it was time to come to a resolution about the Lincoln Building and put out a public call to community members, teachers, staff, and students to form a study group. Twelve volunteers stepped forward and met monthly for a year, gathering past and present information to present to the School Board.

You can view the Lincoln Building Study Group’s Reports Here:
4.18.24 Interim Report to the School Board
6.20.24 Final Report to the School Board

After reviewing the study group’s findings and an updated estimate on how much it would cost to bring the building back to life, the Board voted unanimously to decommission and remove the building. This decision prioritizes current and future students while creating opportunities for campus renewal and facility improvements.

As indicated in monthly financial reports presented to the School Board, the School District has saved the original funds from the 2012 Capital Levy minus necessary spending on securing the building for safety reasons. The 2025 Capital Levy if passed will help provide the additional funds needed to cover the full costs of demolition today. The Capital Levy will also help fund technology upgrades in the classroom and improvements to accessibility on campuses.

Currently, the district is working with TCF Architecture and NW Vernacular to facilitate the required permitting process through the City of Port Townsend. This process will determine a timeline for the removal of the Lincoln Building. Questions, please contact [email protected].

To learn more about the ongoing Port Townsend High School campus upgrades process, please visit the Facilities campus upgrades process webpage.

www.ptschools.org/departments_/facilities/school_upgrades_process


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