PORT TOWNSEND–A contest for grants to be awarded to historical properties has set off a good-natured competition for a slice of a $1 million grant pie for the Customs House and the schooner Adventuress.

“This is a partnership,” said Port Townsend City Manager David Timmons, speaking on behalf of the public development authority that seeks to manage the historic building known as the Customs House at 1322 Washington St.

“The idea is to generate excitement for the area.”

“We are raising awareness together,” said Catherine Collins, executive director of Sound Experience, which owns the Adventuress.

“If one of us wins, we both win.”

American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are giving away a total of $1 million, and have selected 25 historical sites in Washington state, all of which will receive grants.

The competition is for which site will get the maximum amount of $125,000.

Officials at each site will submit a grant proposal describing how they would use $125,000, and set up Web pages to support their campaigns.

American Express and the national trust has invited the public to vote for their favorites.

People can cast daily votes.

The votes will be counted on May 12, and the winner will receive the maximum full amount of $125,000.

The remaining $875,000 will be divided among the “losers.”

“Everyone will come away with something,” Collins said. “By being selected we already won.”

Multiple votes are allowed and encouraged, so all campaigns are encouraging their supporters to “stuff the ballot box.”

Those with mixed allegiances can vote for the Customs House one day and the Adventuress the next.

Registration is required in order to vote, but those participating can view a real-time view of the top 10 vote getters.

As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the Adventuress was in third place behind Town Hall Seattle and the 5th Avenue Theater, while the Customs House was bubbling under the top 10.

Eleven of the properties are in Seattle. The remainder includes the Bowman Bay Kitchen Shelter in Deception Pass State Park, the Ferry House at Ebey’s Landing on Whidbey Island and the Point No Point Lighthouse in Hansville.

The Customs House will use the funds to contribute to the retrofitting of the building for handicapped access, which is estimated to cost about $300,000.

The historic building was constructed in 1893 to house the U.S. Customs office and now serves as the city’s post office.

It has no handicapped access now for people who cannot climb the stairs outside the structure.

The Postal Service provides drive-up service for people with disabilities, while seeking an accessible substation.

Port Townsend and the U.S. Postal Service are working on an agreement in which the Postal Service would turn the building over to the city in return for the city providing a separate facility from which trucks would sort and deliver the mail.

Timmons said the remainder of the funding would come from other sources, and would make the building a more attractive rental once the public development authority takes over its ownership.

The Adventuress would use the funds to pay for its “counter stern” project, which would renovate the rear section of the boat.

“This isn’t something that we need to do this year but it is on our schedule,” Collins said.

The two links for the projects are www.voteporttownsend.com and www.votefortheboat.com, and each cross links to the other.

Both sites link to www.preservationnation.org, where actual voting occurs and the top 10 list appears.

Representatives of both groups traveled to Seattle on Thursday for the contest announcement.

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Jefferson County reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.