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 | 112 |
| 1877 | 184 |
| 1878 | 146 |
| 1879 | 34 |
476 stories
- The Man Who Set Type at 71: William Lloyd Garrison’s Snohomish Surprise
In a rare moment of local celebrity, the famous abolitionist visited his old printing shop in Washington Territory to celebrate his semi-centennial anniversary as an apprentice.
- The Steamer Yakima’s Narrow Escape on the Snohomish River
A dangerous excursion up the river tests the limits of steamboat navigation through uncharted waters and shifting logjams.
- The Editor Who Walked 15,000 Miles to Save the Snohomish Star
While most men stayed home for Christmas, Mr. Eldridge Morse crisscrossed Washington and Oregon on a grueling tour that has turned his struggling weekly paper into a regional powerhouse.
- The Fight to Save the Stillaguamish Salmon
Long before environmental regulation was common, Snohomish Councilman Ferguson pushed for a law to curb the destructive use of dynamite in Washington’s rivers.
- The Newspaper Editor Who 'Drowned' in the Sound
After an editor’s unexpected delay while traveling to report on the regional resources of Washington, his local readers spiraled into a panic—leading to a very awkward, very alive homecoming.
- The Great Delinquency: Snohomish’s 1878 Tax Auction
A sprawling list of property seizures offers a rare window into the instability of early Snohomish settlers, who faced total loss of their homesteads for debts as small as twenty-two cents.
- The Snohomish Afterlife: A Spiritualist Joke
In an 1878 newspaper, a medium's séance takes a darkly humorous turn when a grieving widow asks her late husband if he is in heaven.
- The 1878 Patent for Long-Distance Kissing
A satirical inventor in Snohomish introduces a bizarre 'kisograph' machine to keep lovers connected across thousands of miles.
- Terrified Passengers Flee as Steamship Hits Snag on Snohomish River
A routine trip turns into a frantic scene of life-preserver panic when the steamboat Fanny Lake hits an underwater obstacle just a mile from city docks.
- County Board Orders Isolation for Tulalip Reservation
As a smallpox epidemic looms, Snohomish County officials order the Tulalip Indian Agent to restrict movement to contain the outbreak.
- The Great Snohomish Brawl: A Night of Blood and Broken Bones
A chaotic street fight in downtown Snohomish left one man dead and several others injured, sparking a grand jury investigation into the town's declining morality.
- The Tragic Accident That Stopped a Clock: The Death of Mr. H. Kelly
A promising builder and father of four dies in a freak hunting accident on the banks of the Snohomish River, leaving his grieving widow to raise their children alone.
- The Great Heartbreak: A Local Girl’s Secret Wedding to a Seattle Stranger
When Miss Mary Ann Farmer married Mr. J.G. York in Snohomish, the town was left reeling—not just by the news, but by the sudden silence of their local bachelors who had been courting her.
- A Heartbreak by the Snohomish River
A lonely local man is caught in a 'melancholy case' of unrequited love, spending his days watering a hitching post in a lovestruck daze.
- The Great Strawberry Heist: A Town’s Sweetest Mystery
When a local dignitary donated an overflowing bucket of cherries and strawberries to the Snohomish newspaper office, they vanished by nightfall—leaving behind only gratitude and a very full belly.
- The First White Family: A Pioneer’s Log-Cabin Legacy
An excerpt from the diary of a local historian recounts the arrival of Mr. Thompson in Snohomish in 1864, detailing the rugged journey up the river and the humble beginnings of what is now a thriving town.
- The Dead Man with the Tattoo: A Sailor’s Body Washes Ashore in Snohomish
Identification of a drowned sailor near Jewett's logging camp reveals a life marked by ink and industry, closing a chapter on the Snohomish River.
- 1876 Snohomish Court Targets Indigenous Gatherings and Brothels
In March 1876, Judge Lewis charged the first Snohomish County District Court grand jury to address public nuisances, including Indigenous gatherings and brothels, while also holding county officials accountable for fee books.
- The Centennial Call: Snohomish Citizens Urged to Claim Their History
As the nation prepares for the 1876 Independence Day celebration, local leaders in Snohomish argue that the county must stop waiting for Seattle or other larger towns to represent them. Instead, they propose a unified county-wide gathering to preserve the region's unique settlement history.
- The Great Unknown: Snohomish’s Centennial Celebration and the Rise of a Logging Empire
On July 4, 1893, the community gathered at the River Side Hotel for music, oratory, and history, marking a decade of growth in a county defined by its forests.
- The Riverfront Factory Boom
New manufacturing operations along the Snohomish River signal a growing industrial future for the region.
- The Case for Universal Schooling in the Territory
An early local advocate argues that education, not incarceration, is the only path toward ending poverty and crime in the Washington Territory.
- The Sudden Passing of Captain E. A. Starr
A beloved community leader and steamship captain dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances.
- The Parson’s Secret Ringer
When a local sexton entered a decrepit, bony carriage horse into a high-stakes town race, nobody expected the old animal to outrun the finest steeds in Snohomish.
- The Strange Disappearance of a Logger
After a camp cook vanishes with his employer's belongings, the logging crew is left baffled by his sudden and inexplicable departure.