After long and careful consideration, the Board of Directors of the North Olympic History Center is releasing a Request For Proposals (RFP) for repurposing Lincoln School and the north part of the campus. The full RFP can be found here.

The release of this RFP is the culmination of the Strategic Planning process begun in 2017. Following are relevant parts of the Strategic Plan:

Goal #4 of the NOHC Strategic Plan: “DEVELOP A FINAL PLAN FOR THE LINCOLN SCHOOL. Identify the highest use of the building and cooperators in achieving that goal.”

Strategy 4A: “Working with advisors, consultants and other specialists, develop an implementation plan for the ultimate use of the Lincoln School.”

The full NOHC Strategic Plan can be found here.

Following are parts of the RFP stating our organizational objectives:

Encouraged Outcomes

• · Preservation of the iconic building or the façade of the school that faces north.
• · Any new construction on the property to reflect or complement the architectural design of Lincoln School.
• · Purchase by a nonprofit organization that provides social, health, housing or other community support services whose mission is compatible with the NOHC.
• · An organization that will renovate, maintain and operate the Lincoln School building and/or the north portion of the campus.
• · A cooperative use agreement with the purchaser for the NOHC to access space in the renovated Lincoln School or replacement building(s). 

Required Terms

The objective of this RFP is to find a new owner or partner that will renovate or demolish the Lincoln School for a use that does not conflict with the mission of the NOHC. The NOHC does not have the financial resources or capacity to undertake the Lincoln School project.

The research library and artifact storage facility are not part of this sale.

Comments and questions are welcome and may be addressed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The North Olympic History Center curates an extensive collection of aritfacts and archival materials documenting the history of the North Olympic Peninsula. The Center is constantly digitizing new material from our collections and adding them to our online PastPerfect catalog, a digital resource created with the support of the Clallam County Commissioners and a 2021 Clallam County  Heritage Advisory Board grant. Please click the link below for instand access to thousands of historic photographs, documents, and artifacts from the North Olympic Peninsula.

Link : NOHC Past Perfect Catalog

Please join us on Zoom on July 13 at 3 PM:

Join Zoom Meeting 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81505777609

Meeting ID: 815 0577 7609

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Meeting ID: 876 9827 5538 Passcode: 745304

Virginia's smile lights up a meeting of the NOHC Board on September 8, 2014.

From Left to Right: Irene Wyman, Laurie Davies, Gary Braun, Virginia Fitzpatrick, Charlie Smith, Kay Seed, John Hubbard, Jim Moran, Kathy Rankin, Jim Rankin, Sandy Keys, Bill Barrett, Nancy Lang, Kathy Estes, Adria Fuhrman.  

The recent passing of Virginia Fitzpatrick marks the end of a lifetime of generosity and behind the scenes work that benefited us all in the past, present and future. She actively served the Clallam County Historical Society (now the North Olympic History Center) for a total of half a century. She felt strongly that board members should bring something positive to the table. One of her favorite remarks was that the board didn’t need “nice little old ladies.”

Virginia Fitzpatrick was always one to say “thank you.” She stepped up to the plate when she saw the need. As a founding member of the local genealogy society, it was natural for her to see how genealogy and history blended. She joined the Historical Society and worked tirelessly for the blended organization. When the museum manager quit and there was no money to pay a new one, Virginia volunteered her time and money to keep the museum’s goals progressing. She worked with county officials, volunteers, and the public for the benefit of all. In 1989, she was chosen as one of the finalists for Citizen of the Year award. Her only regret for not being chosen was “not being able to publicly thank all the people who created the museum” and who made her nomination possible.

There are few members left that remember those golden years with Virginia and Mike Fitzpatrick volunteering at the Courthouse and at Lincoln School. You could find Mike on the fire truck ladder replacing windows in Lincoln School or out mowing the lawn. Virginia continued working with and for the North Olympic History Center long after she could no longer come to the facility. She was always on call.

We will miss her, and we are richer for having known her.

Photo by Emily Matthiessen, Sequim Gaztte

https://www.sequimgazette.com/life/protector-of-past-present-and-future-nohcs-brownell-helps-preserve-highlight-peninsulas-culture/

Your Historical Society connects you:

• To the rich history of Clallam County with educational programs like History Tales and other events
• Honors personal histories by collecting, preserving, and sharing
• Makes history a family affair with the Hands on History Program for students in grades 6 - 12
• Helps you find the answers to your questions with a staffed Research Library
• Makes history accessible with programs featuring the collectoin's artifacts

Join us and get connected! 

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and North Olympic History Center have partnered to bring you the "Learning Our Landscape" presentation series exploring the rich history, culture, and environment of the North Olympic Peninsula. Join us on the second Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. on Zoom as we use the tools of modern science, tribal ecological knowledge, and history to gain a better understanding and appreciation of this remarkable and resilient landscape. 

As the date of each event approachs, details including time and location will be posted on our Home Page, and our Facebook page.

For further information about any of our events, please call the North Olympic History Center at 360-452-2662 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..