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 |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1864 | 30 |
| 1865 | 9 |
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 6 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1878 | 5 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 5 |
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1891 | 3 |
| 1892 | 10 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1894 | 11 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 6 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1903 | 729 |
| 1904 | 67 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 3 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 6 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
1,002 stories
- The Battle for Homestead Titles
A legal dispute over a homestead in Franklin County signals potential trouble for many Walla Walla residents holding land claims.
- Walla Walla's Downtown Blaze
A cluster of local businesses burns to the ground, highlighting the risks of early timber-frame architecture.
- The Military Road That Opened the Northwest
A $100,000 federal appropriation sends Lieut. John Mullan back to the Pacific to push a wagon road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton—and with it, a tide of settlers into Oregon and Washington.
- The Man Who Tried to Break Out of Jail (And Failed)
Chester Collins, a convict serving time for assault, was caught trying to escape the Thurston County jail in January. He escaped, fled to Shelton, and immediately got into trouble again—landing him back in the Walla Walla Penitentiary.
- Walla Walla Man Attempts Suicide; Gamblers Cheat Visitors
A tragic attempt at suicide in Walla Walla sheds light on the toll of addiction and the harsh realities of frontier life.
- The Forgotten Quest for Washington Statehood
A rare 1878 proclamation reveals the high-stakes, multi-district election held to draft a constitution that would finally bring Washington into the Union.
- The Convicts Who Walked the Streets: A Walla Walla Jailbreak
In March 1889, prisoners in a Walla Walla jail refused to work on city streets. Their defiance sparked a standoff that ended with the threat of starvation rations and the promise of armed guards.
- The Governor Who Wasn't: How a Walla Walla Businessman Became Washington's First Territorial Governor
In March 1889, President Harrison appointed Miles Moore to steer the territory toward statehood, bypassing Eastern political machines in favor of local 'home rule.'
- The Walla Walla Rebellion
A small-town municipal election ends in a landslide defeat for incumbent councilmen who dared to enforce an ordinance against public roaming.
- The Fortress at Walla Walla
After two years of labor, the Territory's new penitentiary stands finished—a 15-foot high stone-and-cement stockade built to hold the region’s criminals.
- The Struggle to Build the Territorial Penitentiary
A desperate plea from the prison board for funding to build essential living quarters, highlighting the dire state of the Washington Territorial Penitentiary in 1887.
- The Missionary Who Claimed the Pacific Northwest
A century of folklore credits Marcus Whitman with winning Oregon and Washington for the United States through a patriotic Fourth of July ritual.
- Washington State’s Hidden Fire Opals
Gem expert George Frederick Kunz reveals that a jeweler's chance find in a well-digging site near the Idaho border uncovered a treasure trove of opals.
- The Fight for a State Prison
Senator Watson C. Squire pushes for federal funds to build a Washington penitentiary, arguing the state has been left behind while Dakota and Montana received their due.
- A Boston Banker Tells Walla Walla to Hold Its Wheat
A capitalist touring the territory by rail — with $75,000 already sunk in Washington land — predicts high grain prices, a finished Northern Pacific, and scolds the town's 'sleepy' businessmen for taking their money elsewhere.
- Walla Walla Council Defends Debt to Build City Hall
A finance committee report from 1883 reveals the staggering debt and tax burden required to build Walla Walla’s civic infrastructure.
- The Forgotten Pioneer Missionary
Before Marcus Whitman, there was Samuel Parker, an elderly preacher who braved the frontier to map the way for the mission of 1836.
- The Price of Hospitality
Walla Walla's city council debates how much it should pay to entertain railroad tycoon Henry Villard.
- The Walla Walla Wooden Leg Incident
A spectacular blaze in an Eastern Washington town ends with an unexpected, wooden-legged dance.
- The Judge Who Demanded Women Jurors
When a grand jury panel ran dry in Walla Walla, the local judge preferred women to 'scrubby' men.
- The Unlucky Duck Hunter of Riverside
A simple afternoon gesture turned into a painful lesson on the dangers of uneven ground when a farmer's attempt to shoo a bird resulted in a trip to the hospital.
- The Price of a Waltz at Whitman College
A student is suspended for defying her dean to attend a forbidden dancing school, while her Tacoma companion escapes with a month's confinement to campus.
- Walla Walla's Baseball Future Hangs in the Balance
After struggling with poor attendance and low ticket revenue, the local manager warns that the team will disband unless fans step up their support.
- The Six O'Clock Closing Battle
Walla Walla retail clerks organized to fight for a 6:00 p.m. closing time against a local firm's refusal to modernize.
- The Midnight Deadline for Local Vice
New state laws targeting gambling and the 'earnings of a fallen woman' arrive this Wednesday, leaving the city wondering if this time the crackdown will stick.