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 |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 761 |
| 1904 | 67 |
828 stories
- The Mayor's Foundry and the School Board Scandal
Mayor Gilbert Hunt attempts to clear his name as the local paper doubles down on allegations of municipal graft.
- Prison Population Explodes
Walla Walla's state penitentiary faces record overcrowding as prisoner count surges to 673.
- A Sunday Sermon Against Walla Walla's Saloons
Reverend Holman B. Turner calls out the city's unchecked vice, demanding law enforcement on the north side of Main Street.
- A Peculiar Railroad Wreck Near Wallula
A freight car piled high with lumber capsized on a sharp curve, leaving a local blacksmith seriously injured.
- Released Prisoner Arrested at the Gates
Richard Perkison walked out of the penitentiary a free man only to be immediately detained by an officer from Nebraska.
- City Council Faces Tensions Over Prostitution and Budgets
In their final session of the term, Walla Walla councilmen navigate budget disputes and the first-ever petition to remove bawdy houses as public nuisances.
- A Nighttime Intimidation at Dreamland Park
The proprietor's wife turns the tables on two would-be robbers, prompting a new era of vigilance at the local attraction.
- The Suspicious Death of the Mull Baby
A coroner’s inquest is ordered to investigate conflicting medical reports over an infant's sudden death in Walla Walla.
- The Stupendous Dam Proposal for the Walla Walla River
Engineers are eyeing the Reddin place for a massive masonry dam intended to transform the valley’s irrigation potential.
- The Petty Feuds of Walla Walla's Elite
A satirical chronicle of the local political war between 'Ankeny' and 'Boxer' factions.
- The Fair Moves for a Mill
Walla Walla's annual fruit fair loses its historic grounds to industrial development as a new steam chop mill prepares to grind.
- Mayor Hunt’s Vision for a Growing Walla Walla
Facing a housing and infrastructure boom, the mayor calls for a new city charter and a shift toward modern public works.
- The Marriage Trials of Jack and Mrs. Smith
A domestic dispute over alleged infidelity and threatening letters spills into open court, captivating a curious Walla Walla public.
- Prison Guard Shoots Inmate in Jute Mill Fight
A convict is wounded during a prison brawl after guards are ordered to use live ammunition to stop frequent fighting.
- The Garrison Creek Brawl
A horse trade gone wrong ended in a violent, multi-generational melee that left an entire family bloodied in court.
- A Father’s Final Afternoon
A reunion thirteen years in the making ended in sudden tragedy over a watermelon in a Walla Walla shop.
- A Neighborhood Terrorized by Revolver
A domestic dispute turns volatile at Third and Poplar streets.
- Walla Walla Commits to Major Infrastructure Overhaul
City Council moves to shore up Mill Creek and repair crumbling streets in a session of ambitious public works.
- Left to Fend for Herself
A Colfax mother files for divorce while her husband serves a five-year sentence in the Walla Walla penitentiary.
- Fatal Leap from a Moving Train
A young, enterprising contractor met a gruesome end while attempting to jump from a moving freight train near Wallula.
- The Midnight Hotel Fire
A suspected incendiary targets a local hotel, only to be thwarted by staff before the flames reach the dining room.
- The Traveling Salesman Who Out-Wrestled a Footpad
When an armed robber tried to hold up a local salesman late at night, he found himself in a Greco-Roman wrestling match instead of an easy mugging.
- The Unkept Promise of Walla Walla's Telephone Wires
City council is urged to enforce a year-old franchise agreement requiring the telephone company to bury its unsightly street-level wires.
- The Persistent Loophole in Walla Walla's Temperance Laws
While the city restricts alcohol sales to 'probated' drunkards, families find that local saloons are ignoring the law—leading to a potential wave of civil litigation.
- The Walla Walla Divorce Mill
Superior Court sees a surge in filings, including cases of domestic violence and substance abuse, as Judge Brents returns from vacation.