Yesler
Named in 11 stories. Back to all names
- Mar 30, 1876The Palace of Ink and PineA satirical look at a new, supposedly 'palatial' three-story printing office in Seattle, which turns out to be just one story above a Chinese wash-house.Cherry Street, Seattle, WA
- Oct 20, 1877The Great Seattle Cow Menace of 1877Before the city was paved, Seattle’s early residents struggled with 'educated' cows that dismantled fences and destroyed gardens under the cover of night.Seattle, WA
- Nov 30, 1880The Price of Progress: Arson in the Shadow of the Opera HouseWhen an old commercial building was moved to make way for Seattle's new Opera House, a firebug turned the vacated structure into a torch.Commercial Street, Seattle, WA
- Jun 7, 1883The Dream of a Boat-Accessible SeattleContractor J.J. Cummings prepares to connect the lakes, promising a future where residents can row entirely around the city.Lake Union, Seattle, WA
- Jan 17, 1885The Sunday Saloon Wars: How Seattle Debated the 'Law and Order' OrdinanceIn 1885, Seattle’s City Council erupted into a fierce debate over a proposal to force saloons to close on Sundays, pitting reformers against tavern owners in a struggle over civic control and personal liberty.Seattle, WA
- Nov 10, 1885The Boys in Blue Arrive in SeattleWhen federal troops were deployed to suppress anti-Chinese violence in 1885, they found themselves quartered in a local opera house, leading to a strange and rowdy few days in the city.Second Street, Seattle, WA
- Jan 14, 1886The City’s Crackdown on Traveling SalesmenIn 1886, Seattle’s City Council passed a strict licensing ordinance to curb 'peddling' and hawking, requiring vendors to pay steep daily fees or face jail time.Front Street, Seattle, WA
- Feb 20, 1886The Mob That Tore Seattle ApartCourt testimonies from the 1886 anti-Chinese riots reveal a city in the grip of a violent, organized crusade to forcibly expel its Chinese residents.Seattle, WA
- Jul 22, 1888The City Council’s Petty Snub of Seattle’s FounderA scathing editorial exposes how local politicians, led by a councilman, used a mundane land plat filing to insult A.A. Denny, a pivotal figure in Seattle’s development.Front Street, Seattle, WA
- May 29, 1889The Great Delinquent Tax Sale of 1888A sweeping list of hundreds of 'Unknown Owners' and Seattle residents facing the auction block, revealing the precarious nature of early land speculation in the city.Seattle, WA
- Jun 24, 1889The Seattle Fire and the Street-Widening BattleFollowing the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, the city grapples with the high cost of progress, property rights, and the urgent need for a more resilient, accessible city plan.Great Seattle Fire, Seattle, WA