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 |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1864 | 31 |
| 1865 | 10 |
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 7 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1878 | 5 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 21 |
| 1884 | 8 |
| 1885 | 9 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 5 |
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 17 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1893 | 17 |
| 1894 | 14 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1903 | 761 |
| 1904 | 74 |
| 1905 | 2 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 3 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 7 |
| 1916 | 9 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1924 | 2 |
| 1925 | 1 |
1,074 stories
- 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 Deadly Cost of a Failed Train Robbery
A desperate shootout between a local sheriff and two convicts on the tracks outside of Walla Walla leaves one man dead and another in chains.
- 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.
- Baseball Team Fights for Survival in Inland Empire League
With attendance lagging, Walla Walla's team management offers free admission to women for weekday games in a desperate bid to keep the city in the league.
- The Marked Cards of Walla Walla
A pinochle game and a swindle lead to a high-stakes legal battle over the finer points of gambling law.
- Clerks Win Shorter Workdays in Walla Walla
After organizing and negotiating with major retailers, the local clerks' association successfully secures earlier closing hours.
- The House of Cards Collapses
Washington State’s new felony law drives the gambling halls of Walla Walla into the shadows.
- The Horseshoe Saloon Robbery
A young ranch hand’s night out ends in a courtroom drama after his money and watch vanish in the back of a saloon.
- The Battle Over Bank Taxes
Walla Walla taxpayers clash with the local First National Bank over tax rebates, with the paper calling for a stronger backbone from the city administration.