Thank you for your overwhelming support to preserve the historic Ferry House on Ebey’s Landing.

Thanks to your relentless voting, we are happy to announce the Ferry House has received $65,000 in grant funding – our full request — for participating in the Partnership in Preservation contest April 16 through May 12. This money, in addition to funds from the National Park Service, will be used to restore the original balcony and provide structural stability for years to come. It will also fund on-site educational workshops for owners of historic buildings.

We are all touched by the magnitude of energy surrounding this old inn, dating to 1860. Hundreds of you voted online each day, for one month, demonstrating how much you value this building on the prairie. Thanks to this tremendous support, we finished an honorable eighth out of 25.

On May 2, over 700 people visited the Ferry House and toured its inside, despite rain, backed-up traffic, and waiting of over an hour for a tour. The guests were all smiles and remarked they would have waited another two hours. We had many visitors, including direct descendents of Isaac Ebey, renters from the 1950s, people looking for ghosts, long-time residents who have looked at the house for over 50 years and never seen inside and visitors from all over Washington, and as far as Ohio. Thank you to the dozens of dedicated volunteers working in the rain who smoothly ran the event and fostered its success.

Because of your support, we can continue to maintain this icon of pioneer fortitude for future generations. For more information on the Ferry House and other activities please visit www.nps.gov/ebla.

Thanks!

The Trust Board of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve:

Fran Einterz, Jon Roberts, Molly Hughes, Jan Pickard, Marilyn Clay, Al Sherman, Lisa Meserole, Jim Neill and Hank Florence