The Marblehead Historical Commission got a surprise check recently. They were given a check of $697,711 as a bequest from longtime residents Rita and Ross Terrien. The donation has four caveats. The principal and earned interest is to be used to create a repository to house Marblehead’s historical documents and records. The management of the facility is supposed to be under the control of the Marblehead Historical Commission and the facility that is created will be named for Ross and Rita Terrien.

Finally, the money should not be used in any way for the operating budget.

The Board of Selectman Chairman Jackie Belf-Becker described the Terriens’ donation as “special — something you don’t see very often.”

Rita died in 2009 and Ross died in 2012. The couple were married for 65 years and were antique dealers who owned the town’s Old General Store.