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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 3 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 10 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 3 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1903 | 1 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1923 | 1 |
54 stories matching floor
- A Temperance Bill Debate Turns Into Two Fistfights in Olympia
A Spokane legislator and a Spokane newspaperman trade blows on the House floor over a local-option petition.
- Plumbing Failure Floods State Capitol
A clogged flush tank at the Olympia capitol caused hundreds of dollars in damage to government records.
- Olympia Selects Design for New High School
The school board settles on a design by architect B.F.M. Weeks, sparking a debate over whether to build in brick or Tenino stone.
- A Streetcar Cathedral Rises at Chestnut and Fifth
Olympia Light and Power plans a three-story headquarters with repair pits, a supply store and dormitory rooms for single employees — if City Council approves the route it wants.
- A New Home for the Grand Army of the Republic
Veterans of the Civil War plan a grand new headquarters in Olympia, complete with a public hall and space for other lodges.
- The Night Fourth Street Lit Up: Ellis's Furniture Warehouse Burns
A fire breaks out above a frame warehouse after ten o'clock, the east side of the city glows, and firemen haul chairs and mattresses into the street until the heat drives them back.
- The First Fight for Women’s Suffrage in Seattle
Before statehood, the 1887 Washington Territorial Legislature sparked a fierce, floor-level battle over the right of women to vote and hold office.
- The Spiders of the Rotunda
A look at the professional lobbyists who stalked the halls of the old Washington capitol, turning the state legislature into a theater of influence.
- Hot Ashes Nearly Burn Down Olympia’s Pride
A carelessly discarded batch of hot ashes smoldered for hours in the Capitol Steam Laundry before bursting into flame beneath the Olympia Hotel.
- The Brick Blocks That Told Olympia It Had Arrived
In 1891, three pressed-brick buildings rose along Olympia’s business streets—and boosters read them as proof the wooden capital was becoming a real city.
- 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.
- The War Over the State's Marketing Budget
Legislative jealousy between Seattle and Tacoma erupts on the floor of the House as King County representatives move to kill a bill meant to benefit Tacoma.
- Riot and Revelry at the Capitol
As the legislative session in Olympia concluded, members engaged in a chaotic scramble to loot furniture and equipment from the chambers.
- The Speaker’s Gavel Clash
In the Territorial House, a subtle procedural error leads to a public confrontation over how legislation is truly passed.
- The Vulgarity of Legislative Gratuities
An editorial critique argues that tipping public officials during legislative sessions undermines the dignity of the state.
- The Stone Capitol Olympia Was Promised
Architect Ernest Flagg says the foundation is finished and bids are about to go out for a fireproof statehouse—one built to last, if the legislature will pay for it.
- The Battle for the Council Floor
A legislative standoff in Olympia over petty offices and party control highlights the raw political maneuvering of the late Washington Territory era.
- The Jail Was Out of Level
Fred Neuffer was due in court for embezzlement. Instead, Olympia’s county jail became the scene of a strange one-man investigation into whether the floor itself was crooked.
- Olympia's Close Call with Fire
A dangerous blaze at the Secretary of the Territory's office sparks calls for safer building practices.
- The Political Battle for the Nicaragua Canal
At the 1892 Republican state convention in Olympia, delegates engaged in a fierce, emotionally charged floor fight over the proposed Nicaragua Canal project.
- Mr. Palmer Urges Senate to Back Women’s Suffrage
Mr. Palmer takes to the floor in Olympia to argue for woman suffrage, dismantling tired objections and demanding a seat at the table for Washington women.
- The Elective Franchise Bill Fails—With Indians Explicitly Barred
A proposed constitutional amendment in Olympia would have fixed voting rules for male citizens while writing 'Indians not taxed' out of the franchise; it died on the floor.
- The Sergeant-at-Arms Breaks a Representative's Nose
A legislative debt dispute turns violent on the floor of the Washington House, leading to a physical brawl and a public reprimand.
- The Midnight Roommate Mix-up
A night of drinking turns into a farcical brawl when two roommates accidentally wander into each other’s beds.
- The Whistleblower Who Risked It All on the House Floor
When Washington legislator Metcalfe turned in a bribe, his colleagues turned on him. In a dramatic trial for expulsion, he dared to tell them their political machine was 'as corrupt as hell.'