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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 11 |
| 1861 | 59 |
| 1862 | 65 |
| 1863 | 44 |
179 stories
- The Battle for the Territorial Capitol
A legal and political standoff over the physical location of the territorial capital and library forces an Acting Governor to weigh state law against federal fiscal crisis.
- The Divorce Factory of 1861
Tired of a legislative session flooded with endless divorce petitions, the Washington Territorial Council finally moves to curb the practice.
- Searching for the Wenatchee Mines
An expedition returns to Olympia after failing to reach the mountains, but reports finding vast, promising new territory.
- Territorial Legislature Declares Allegiance to the Union
As the clouds of civil war gather in the East, the Washington Territorial Legislature takes a firm stance for the preservation of the national Union.
- A Politically Charged Appointment in Olympia
The local press rails against the appointment of B.F. Kendall as Superintendent of Indian Affairs, calling him a political turncoat and an opportunist.
- An Indignant Patron
A Chinese man refuses a segregated ticket policy at a local circus.
- The Bureau's War on 'Prostitution and Concubinage'
The Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Olympia issues a directive banning relationships between white staff and Indigenous women.
- The Political Price of Loyalty in 1861
A fiery exchange between the Territorial Surveyor General and the local press highlights the intense suspicion of secessionist sympathizers in Washington Territory.
- The Loyalty Oath of a Washington Surveyor
Public official James Tilton defends his reputation against accusations of secessionism during the onset of the Civil War.
- A Territorial Feud Over Public Printing
A scathing editorial from The Standard details a dispute between the newspaper and a Federal official over control of territorial printing contracts.
- The Struggle for Inclusion in the Civil War Era
A local letter to the editor challenges the anti-immigrant prejudice of the day, arguing that foreign-born citizens are just as essential to the Republic as native-born ones.
- The End of the 'Coolie Trade'
A new federal law moves to criminalize the transportation of indentured Chinese laborers on American ships.
- The Gold Rush Mania: A Cautionary Tale for Settlers
As disheartened miners return from the upper Columbia, the Standard warns local farmers and mechanics that steady work at home is worth more than the speculative, dangerous 'El Dorado' scramble.
- The Political Brawl for Olympia
A sordid, public feud between federal officials in Washington Territory spills into the press as appointments turn personal and properties are seized.
- Territorial Jobs and the Politics of Pay Cuts
Local outrage over congressional moves to slash federal salaries in Washington Territory, sparking fears of a political power grab.
- The Governor’s Vision for a Growing Territory
Governor William Pickering addresses the 1862 Legislature, detailing the critical needs of a frontier rapidly filling with settlers and miners.
- Legislature Honors Fallen General Isaac I. Stevens
Lawmakers declare a ten-day mourning period for the former Governor and Union General killed in the Civil War.
- The Struggle for Currency in Wartime Olympia
Merchants in Olympia face criticism for devaluing federal 'greenbacks' at the expense of local laborers.
- The Territory's Thin Ledger
A look at the precarious finances of Washington Territory in 1862, from debts to the cost of territorial convicts.
- The Rowdy Election of the Territorial Printer
Washington's early legislature devolves into political gridlock as members brawl over the powerful and lucrative appointment of the official Territorial Printer.
- The Struggle for an Inland Route
Olympia’s leadership frets that without a wagon road over the Cascades, the capital city risks losing its status to the burgeoning trade of the Upper Columbia.
- An Editor's Dilemma in the Civil War
The Olympia Standard defends its editorial stance against critics who charge the paper with abandoning the cause of the Union by questioning the immediate abolition of slavery.
- The 'Miraculous Devil' Seed
A local curiosity exhibit features strange, jumping seeds from Mexico, rumored to be poisonous and charged with mysterious 'electric fluid.'
- Washington Territory Declares Loyalty to the Union
Legislators in the newly formed territory pass formal resolutions condemning secession and the proposed Pacific Confederacy on the eve of the Civil War.
- An Editor Steps Down Amidst Political Intrigue
James Lodge defends his reputation after withdrawing from the Pioneer and Democrat, denying secret negotiations with Republican rivals.