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.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 53 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 6 |
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1861 | 60 |
| 1862 | 65 |
| 1863 | 44 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 14 |
| 1876 | 10 |
| 1877 | 12 |
| 1878 | 8 |
| 1879 | 4 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 39 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 58 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1891 | 218 |
| 1892 | 194 |
| 1893 | 111 |
| 1894 | 19 |
| 1895 | 112 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 24 |
| 1904 | 6 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 95 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1915 | 8 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1919 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 13 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 10 |
1,327 stories
- Olympia Declares War on Loose Hogs
A newly passed town ordinance empowers the Marshall to seize and auction off any swine wandering through the streets of Olympia north of Union Street.
- A Letter to a Lost Candidate
A ten-year-old girl writes to Hon. H. J. Snively following his election defeat, offering support and expressing the political allegiances of a young Democrat.
- The Great Puget Sound Whale Hunt
An unexpected visitor in the waters between Olympia and Shelton leads to a high-pressure pursuit by a local steamer.
- The Prohibition of Alcohol Trade with Tribal Nations
Federal agents issue a stern warning against the trade and distribution of liquor on Indian reservations.
- Frontier War Bounty
A recruitment call for the 1st Regiment of Oregon Cavalry, targeting the 'Snake Indians' on the frontier.
- Call for Cavalry in the Indian Wars
Recruiting for the First Regiment of Oregon Cavalry to serve in the ongoing conflict with the Snake Indians.
- Recruiting Call for the First Oregon Cavalry
A recruitment notice seeking men to fight on the frontier, specifically targeting the Snake Indians.
- The Territorry's Tally
Secretary H. G. Struve releases the official vote count for the recent general election in Washington Territory.
- A Hunter’s Sudden Tragedy on Chambers Prairie
A young man’s life is cut short in a freak accident while hunting near the Deschutes River.
- The Secret Elopement of Olympia
Defying parental orders and a bitter feud, a young couple flees their hometown to be married.
- The Fight to Ban Boxing in 1891 Washington
As the state legislature considered a sweeping crackdown on 'prizefighting' in 1891, the proposed law sparked debate over what constitutes public violence versus private athletic exercise.
- The Bureaucratic Feud Over a Federal Appointment
A bitter letter to the editor exposes a local Seattle political scandal involving broken promises and secret applications for a federal office.
- The Speaker’s Gavel Clash
In the Territorial House, a subtle procedural error leads to a public confrontation over how legislation is truly passed.
- Seattle and Tacoma Nearly Came to Blows Over the Ship Canal
At the 1892 Democratic state convention, King County's demand for a canal plank turned the floor into a shouting mob — and the vote flipped twice in a single night.
- King County Democrats Revolt: 'I Am King County's Candidate, Not Her Betrayer'
At the Democratic state convention in Olympia, an anti-King County plank sparked outrage among Seattle delegates, who vowed to stand by their home. The convention ended in disarray, nominating an unknown candidate after a night's search and predicting certain defeat.
- The Art of the Legislative Dodge
A blistering political attack on a gubernatorial candidate accused of cowardice and 'dodging' his duties in the state house.
- The Political Shifting of Mr. Snively
An editorial critique of a legislator known for avoiding tough votes and ducking public responsibility.
- Washington’s New Governor Takes the Oath in Olympia
A military parade and a grand inaugural ball marked the start of John H. McGraw’s term as governor of the Evergreen State.
- Clergyman Detained for Extradition
A minister faces serious criminal charges in Washington state as authorities move to detain him in British Columbia.
- Gov. McGraw Opens the State Road Convention at Olympia
Delegates from every county gather in the capital to plan a statewide campaign for better roads — and to demand that the political parties finally take up internal improvements.
- The Fight Over Washington's Capitol: A Governor, a Professor and a Press War
As the state's new capitol building is designed, Seattle and Tacoma papers pound the selection commission with charges of favoritism — and Gov. McGraw's defenders fire back.
- The Governor Wins His Battle for the Capitol Board
The state supreme court rules that Governor McGraw acted within his legal authority to oust commissioner John McReavy.
- The Spanking That Became a Fugitive Hunt
Allen Weir says a child-discipline complaint in Olympia was magnified into a criminal manhunt — and he wants the public to hear his side.
- A Governor's Buggy Ride Through a Wall of Fire
Gov. Newell and Rev. J. K. Thompson returned to Olympia after a forest fire closed in on both sides of the road, scorching their faces and nearly dropping a tree across their path.
- A Kerosene Lamp Burns Olympia's Only Good Hotel to the Ground
An exploding lamp gutted the Carleton House on Monday evening, killing the capital city's chief lodging house and leaving the town almost without a place to put up travelers.