Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine2 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 421 |
| 1877 | 288 |
| 1878 | 80 |
| 1880 | 80 |
869 stories
- The Political Stump in Old Seattle
A skeptical local editor critiques a 1880 Democratic congressional candidate’s visit to Seattle, dissecting his oratory, his 'Solid South' rhetoric, and the harsh realities of campaigning in a territory without a vote.
- The Political Battle for Seattle’s Soul in 1880
A rare glimpse into the intense, hard-fought campaign that cemented Republican power in late 19th-century Seattle.
- Fire on the High Seas
A stowaway on the bark Lady Lampson, bound for the Pacific Northwest, nearly destroys the ship with a fire and a razor.
- The Newspaper Feud That Rocked 1880s Seattle
An editorial from the Intelligencer exposes the bitter, vitriolic infighting between two local publishing factions during a pivotal municipal and general election season.
- The Political Fever of 1880
As Washington Territory tallied its votes for Delegate to Congress, local editors traded barbs and grand dreams of a future state capital.
- The Church of the Pacific Northwest
As the Episcopal Church gathered in 1880, its internal struggles over mission work, inclusion, and the 'Indian question' revealed a rapidly expanding organization looking toward the frontier.
- A Frontier Divorce: Restoring a Name in 1876
After a court order and the absence of her husband, Eugenia Tuite successfully petitioned a district court to dissolve her marriage and reclaim her maiden name.
- Disaster at the Hardware Store
A shelf collapse at a prominent Seattle hardware firm results in injury and property loss, highlighting the hazards of downtown commercial growth.
- The Daily Intelligencer’s Take on the 1876 Political Circus
Reflecting on the fall of high-profile presidential hopefuls, a Seattle editor decries the 'professional politician' class and the loss of disinterested public service.
- A Wild Dash Down Fourth Street
A young, skittish horse sends a local merchant leaping for his life in 1876 Seattle.
- Seattle’s Endless War Against the Hillside
In 1878, city officials scrambled to grade Mill Street to fix dangerous mudslides—a challenge that continues to plague Seattle’s topography today.
- The Great Seattle Front Street Excavation of 1876
As teams and scrapers descend on the heart of the city, laborers begin carving out the steep terrain between Cherry and James to make way for the future.
- The 'Skin Rangers' Take on the Centennial
In 1876, a local club offered a raucous, satirical history of the Pilgrims to counter the solemnity of America’s 100th anniversary.
- The Soda Fountain Swap
A regular customer at a local Seattle soda fountain finds himself unexpectedly toasted by a new clerk who can't distinguish between pineapple syrup and brandy.
- The Justice, the Teen Bride, and the Proof of Adulthood
When a young couple arrived in 1876 Seattle seeking to re-validate their wedding, a skeptical judge found himself out-argued by the bride’s most persuasive piece of evidence.
- The Seasonal Slump Hits Seattle’s Commerce
While lumber and coal exports have dipped, city leadership maintains a hopeful stance on the resilience of the local economy.
- The Picky Buyer of Seattle
A skeptical land-seeker turns down a perfect farm because of a church organ, illustrating the absurd lengths of a real estate hunt.
- The Tall Tale of 'Bluffier Ben'
A boastful trapper spins wild, bloody yarns for free drinks in a Seattle saloon, leaving the barkeep to settle the tab.
- The Boy Who Stole a Four-Bit Piece: A Warning to Seattle Parents
An elderly man was surrounded by a gang of youths on Main Street yesterday. While the theft itself was minor, the paper uses the incident to launch a moral panic about juvenile delinquency and the influence of San Francisco.
- The Night Watchman's Dilemma: A Call for Safety on Seattle’s Dark Wharves
In September 1876, the Seattle City Council was urged to intervene after late-night passengers were forced to navigate dangerous docks alone, highlighting the precarious nature of early urban infrastructure.
- The Man Who Wanted to Steal a Horse by Playing 'Bravo'
A young man’s attempt to intimidate a driver into surrendering his horse ends in a standoff with a revolver, revealing the raw, unpolished nature of justice in 1876 Seattle.
- The Blue Sand Beneath Seattle
In September 1876, a crew of Chinese laborers excavating the foundation for a new building at Wellington and Third struck a rare geological treasure: a bed of pure blue sand.
- The Day the Railroad Stopped: How Two Boys Nearly Derailed a Train in Seattle
In October 1876, a group of mischievous youths removed the brake from a freight train at the Northern Pacific terminus. A lucky passerby noticed the danger just in time, averting a potential catastrophe that could have turned Seattle’s early rail history into a tragedy.
- The Great Fire on Washington Street: A Narrow Escape from Ashes
A blaze in the upper story of a building near Pike Street threatened to consume Seattle’s growing commercial district, but the quick arrival of the fire engine saved the day.
- The Night the Burglar Met a Bullet: A Seattle Homeowner’s Close Call
In October 1876, Mr. Morehouse of First Street didn't just call the police—he fired back at a window-breaker, sending the thief fleeing with a bullet in his coat.