August 1 – August 31, 1878
The Pioneer Dream for Sale on Whidbey Island
1878 reports: a 160-acre Snoqualmie River homestead for sale, citing weak lungs.
12 reports in The Daily Intelligencer, August 1 – August 31, 1878.
The story
In August 1878, the Daily Intelligencer ran repeated reports that a settler was offering a 160-acre riverfront homestead on the Snoqualmie River for sale, citing “weak lungs” or failing health. The reports link the sale to the settler’s health and describe the labor of clearing timber and frontier farming; they do not name the settler or say whether the property sold. Although the archive labels the event as Whidbey Island, the supplied reports consistently locate it on the Snoqualmie River.
Told from the 12 reports below. The reports are the record.
The archive grouped these reports automatically, by date, place and subject.
The reports 12
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Price of Industrial Burnout in 1878
A pioneer farmer puts his Snoqualmie Valley homestead on the market, citing 'weak lungs' and the relentless pace of frontier survival.
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Pioneer Dream on the Snoqualmie River
A settler lists his homestead for sale, offering a window into the grueling physical labor and speculative ambition of 1870s life in the Washington Territory.
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Tragedy of a Snoqualmie Valley Homestead
After his health fails, a local settler offers his hard-won riverfront farm for sale, hoping to escape the damp climate of the Snoqualmie.
- The Daily IntelligencerSnoqualmie River Farm With 160 Acres for Sale
A rare 1878 listing offers a glimpse into the grueling reality of clearing timber and building a life on the frontier, where 'weak lungs'—a common death sentence in the era—forced a settler to abandon his homestead.
- The Daily IntelligencerA Frontier Life for Sale on the Snoqualmie
A settler lists his 160-acre homestead for sale in 1878, citing a 'weak lungs' diagnosis—a common, tragic reality for those braving the Pacific Northwest wilderness.
- The Daily IntelligencerA Frontier Land Deal on the Snoqualmie
A settler lists his 160-acre riverfront homestead for sale, citing his own failing health as the price of carving a life from the Washington wilderness.
- The Daily IntelligencerA Life on the Sound: The Snoqualmie River Homestead
A settler’s personal plea to sell his 160-acre riverfront dream as he faces the 'inevitable payment' of a life in the rugged Pacific Northwest.
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Pioneer's Farewell
A Snoqualmie River settler puts his homestead up for sale, citing 'weak lungs' as the reason for leaving his hard-won life behind.
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Pioneer’s Burden: Selling the Snoqualmie Homestead
In 1878, a settler’s failing health offers a rare glimpse into the back-breaking labor of carving a farm from the wilderness.
- The Daily IntelligencerA Frontier Homestead Seeking a New Steward
In 1878, a settler on the Snoqualmie River attempts to pass on his hard-won homestead, citing health struggles as the frontier era shifts toward permanent settlement.
- The Daily IntelligencerThe Fragile Dream of a Snoqualmie River Homesteader
Forced to sell his 160-acre homestead due to failing health, a pioneer paints a vivid picture of the untamed Snoqualmie Valley in 1878.
- The Daily Intelligencer160-Acre Farm for Sale on the Snoqualmie River
A Snoqualmie homesteader lists his hard-won riverfront acreage, citing 'weak lungs' as the reason for his departure.
From the pages8 of 12
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 1, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 5, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 14, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 15, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 16, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 17, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 20, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer · Aug 21, 1878
Library of Congress, Chronicling America. Public domain.