December, 2009

From: Moclips-by-the-Sea Historical Society

& Museum of the North Beach

To: Moclips NPRY Depot Project Supporters;

  The Museum of the North Beach worked diligently on securing a grant from the Federal Highway Administration (Scenic Byway Discretionary Fund) to rebuild the historic depot. Our campaign began in mid-December with the goal to acquire 20% or $130,000 in matching in-kind and monetary pledges. With a total of 92 letters of support, we surpassed this goal and submitted the grant on Monday, March 2 with matching pledges of $243,287. At twenty-five percent, the total which includes construction management, volunteer oversight, engineering design, the museum building, site improvements, exhibit installation and property lease is $971,010.

As stated in the Project Description of the grant, "This project will construct a new home for the Museum of the North Beach in the town of Moclips. A stable community-based institution, the museum is currently operated out of a small, temporary location. The new facility will have the look and feel of the historic Moclips Depot, and provide a permanent home for the museum's outstanding collection of local historic artifacts. The project includes construction of a new facility and associated site improvements."

Eighteen grants were submitted from our state and will be ranked. Then the grants were forwarded to Washington D.C. for final determination. Normally several different grants are awarded. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS GRANT WAS DENIED.

We thank everyone who supported this project from its inception. We especially thank those who wrote pledge letters of support. Without you we would not have reached our goal.

We also cannot go without thanking the "Hidden Coast Scenic Byway (SR 109)" team for their belief in our project and invaluable expertise. Without Curt Warber with Parametrix, Vicki Cummings with Grays Harbor Council of Governments, and Carrie Sunstrom with the WA DOT we would not have come this far. They first alerted us to the call for grants and then helped us every step of the way to be sure that we had the necessary requirements for application in place.

ALL ABOARD!