The Port Townsend City Council unanimously approved a 15-year extension of the Jefferson County Historical Society’s lease to use the Historic City Hall for the organization’s museum.

The Jefferson Museum of Art & History has been established in Historic City Hall on Water Street since 2005, displaying a wide range of exhibits with emphasis on local creations and artifacts.

The first 15-year lease expired in December 2021, with the city and historical society agreeing to a one-year extension last year. The new 15-year lease is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2038.

The lease agreement does not charge the Jefferson County Historical Society for using the space, considering the public benefit of providing museum services for the community. The society also doesn’t have to pay for utilities, though the organization is responsible for maintenance services such as janitorial duties and repairs.

Earlier this year, the nonprofit rebuilt and installed the original wooden doors of the 1892 Historic City Hall, with local woodworker Seb Eggert of Rain Shadow Woodworks helping to preserve and rebuild the historic doors. The historical society also plans to provide investments in the Historic City Hall to improve access and sound control in the building, based on studies performed in 2022.

The amount of total space leased for the museum is 8,398 square feet, with 4,586 square feet on the Historic City Hall’s first floor and 3,812 square feet in the property’s basement for the museum.

Within the lease agreement, either party has the option to terminate the lease by giving at least five years written notice.