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 |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 10 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1885 | 23 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1887 | 4 |
54 stories
- Sound Steamer Nearly Cut in Two
A mechanical failure leads to a collision near Point-No-Point, forcing the crew to beach the sinking steamer Colfax.
- The Stevedore’s Claim: A Waterfront Legal Battle
After loading a massive cargo of spars, timber, and planks, a Seattle laborer took the ship owners to federal court to recover his unpaid wages.
- The Fiery End of the Bark 'Hark Hope'
After failing to extinguish a mystery fire in the cargo hold, the crew of a Honolulu-bound vessel was forced to sink their own ship to save it from complete destruction.
- The Shipyard Walkout at the Port Blakely Mill
When an employer mandated a ten-hour workday, laborers staged a strike that pitted the mill's authority against the collective will of the workers.
- The Eight-Hour Day Battle at the Port Madison Mill
After the mill workers in Port Madison held a meeting to demand the eight-hour day, they successfully pressured management into alignment with the major mills in Tacoma and Seattle.
- The Struggle for a Seattle Shipyard
As railroad expansion swallows the waterfront, local mariners argue the city's future depends on building a floating dry dock to survive.
- Loggers' Narrow Escape
A dangerous workplace accident on Bainbridge Island leaves a logger hospitalized in Seattle.
- A Night Watchman's Final Request
A Port Madison worker predicts his own death and seeks to settle his affairs in a haunting, sudden passing.
- The Narrow Escape of the Passenger on the George E. Starr
While boarding a steamship at Port Gamble, a man walking along the deck slipped through an unguarded gap in the railing—highlighting the dangerous lack of safety regulations on Puget Sound vessels.
- The Loss of a Landmark: Cyrus Walker’s Port Gamble Home
A catastrophic early-morning blaze consumes one of the finest residences in Port Gamble, resulting in a loss valued at over five thousand dollars.
- The Industrial Heartbeat of Port Madison
A century-old giant of the timber trade hits record-breaking production levels as demand for Washington lumber skyrockets.
- Cabin Raided by Boat Thieves in Kitsap County
A local veteran returns from his mail run to find his winter supplies, clothing, and bedding stolen, sparking a search for the thieves.
- The Ghost Ship of Port Madison
A mysterious, unmanned scow drifts into the bay, sparking speculation about the missing crew.
- The Unlucky Mill Worker
A workplace accident at the Fort Blakely mill results in a serious injury for a local laborer.
- A Frontier 'Scraping Match' in Fort Blakely
A rough-and-tumble dispute between two citizens reveals the volatile nature of 1880s Puget Sound life.
- The Great Clam Bake of 1885
A Seattle party crosses the Sound to Port Blakely, where local Indigenous hosts treat the visitors to a massive, traditional clam bake that captures the awe and appetite of the pioneer era.
- The Clam-Bake Diplomacy of 1885
When a visiting excursion party arrived in Seattle, they were treated to a massive, industrial-scale clam bake at Port Blakely—and the spectacle of geoduck-sized clams that baffled the visitors.
- The Rapid Rise of Eagle Harbor
A quiet settlement nine miles from Seattle transforms into a thriving community with a school and regular preaching.
- A Diplomatic Salute in Fort Blakely
A French ship captain, confused by the celebratory shouting in a local harbor, fires a salute in honor of the wrong man.
- The Ferryman's Folly on Puget Sound
A squall catches an inexperienced sailor and sends a local ferryman’s sloop to the bottom of the Sound.
- The Steamboat That Opened a Hidden Kitsap Country
In 1883 a new Seattle steamer route began serving isolated Kitsap farms south of Bainbridge Island, where settlers hoped for a post office, a mail route and the beginnings of a town.
- The Mysterious Port Gamble Heist
A bold robbery at Port Gamble sparks a frantic search for suspects believed to have fled toward Seattle.
- A Massive Expansion at Seabeck
A new mill with advanced machinery is set to significantly increase timber capacity on the Sound.
- An 1885 Delegation's 'Grand Tour' of Seattle
When a Portland delegation arrived in Seattle by steamer in July 1885, they were treated to an opulent tour of the town, a clambake at Port Blakely, and a glowing review in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- The Steam Tug That Sailed Like Clockwork
After a major refit to repair hurricane damage, the sturdy steam tug 'Sehome' proves its mettle on a high-speed run between Seattle and Port Blakely.