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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 53 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1859 | 7 |
| 1860 | 13 |
| 1861 | 59 |
| 1862 | 65 |
| 1863 | 46 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 14 |
| 1876 | 9 |
| 1877 | 11 |
| 1878 | 7 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 36 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1885 | 18 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 57 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1891 | 221 |
| 1892 | 194 |
| 1893 | 107 |
| 1894 | 18 |
| 1895 | 113 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1899 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1904 | 5 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
| 1909 | 94 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1915 | 8 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1919 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 13 |
| 1924 | 2 |
| 1925 | 10 |
53 stories
- Territorial Governor Orders Segregated Schooling
Governor Isaac I. Stevens enforces new restrictions on Indigenous student access to public education in Olympia.
- Washington Territory’s 1854 Native Voting Rights Debate
In 1854, territorial lawmakers debated extending voting rights to Native Americans of mixed ancestry, exposing tensions over citizenship, race, and belonging.
- Territorial Legislature Debates Voting Rights and Prohibition
Early Washington lawmakers grapple with the rights of Indigenous voters, the push for a prohibition law, and the appointment of regional officials.
- The Fight Over Who Can Vote: Half-Breeds and the 1854 Legislature
A heated debate erupts in the Council over whether 'half-breeds' should be granted the elective franchise, revealing deep tensions over literacy, race, and colonial control.
- The Ghost Rumors of Indian Conflict
Territorial officials mobilize as panic spreads across Puget Sound following unsubstantiated reports of violence.
- The First Legal Code of Washington Territory
A sweeping 1854 legislative act codified the rules of the frontier, from the punishment of corrupt jailers to the regulation of 'notorious barrators' and illegal gambling.
- The Right to Vote in Washington Territory
Legislative debates heat up over the enfranchisement of Indigenous people in the mid-1850s.
- Olympia Residents Organize Volunteer Force Amid Bellingham Bay Fears
Following reports of violence between Indigenous tribes and settlers at Bellingham Bay, local citizens gather at the Olympia courthouse to form a militia and demand government action.
- The Winter Journey of a Railroad Scout
Engineer Tinkham survives freezing crossings of the Cascades to prove that a northern railroad route is feasible.
- Isaac Stevens Charts the Course for a New Territory
In his first address to the newly convened Legislative Assembly, Governor Isaac I. Stevens outlines an ambitious vision for Washington Territory, emphasizing infrastructure, land policy, and the need for defense.
- The Tragedy of the Snohomish Incident
A search for a missing engineer turns violent, sparking immediate panic and military response in early Olympia.
- The Shadow Monopoly Over Washington Territory
Legislators in 1854 struggle to reconcile the existence of a British-owned agricultural monopoly with American settlement goals.
- The Birth of Mechanic's Liens in Washington Territory
A landmark 1854 statute established the right for laborers to place liens on buildings and land to ensure they were paid for their work.
- Legislative Turf Wars in the Early Days
Despite attempts to smear the new leadership as corrupt, the first Legislative Assembly of Washington Territory successfully organized its houses in Olympia.
- A.A. Denny Challenges Ambiguous Indigenous Voting Law
A territorial legislator objected to unclear rules for Indigenous enfranchisement, warning that local election judges would decide voter eligibility inconsistently.
- Establishing Washington’s First Public School System
A legislative act outlining the structure, funding, and local oversight for common schools across the Washington Territory.
- The End of the Fur Trade Monopoly
Governor Stevens moves to ban the Hudson’s Bay Company from trading with local Indigenous tribes, signaling a shift toward American commercial dominance.
- Territorial Road Building: Public Duty or Private Profit?
Early Washington legislators debate the morality of state-funded road construction that prioritizes commercial routes over local infrastructure.
- The Fight for Indigenous Names on Territorial Maps
A territorial legislator argues that replacing English place names with Indigenous ones will stop mail from being misdirected and honor the region's history.
- The Struggle to Become a Citizen and a Tradesman
A legislator argues that the Donation Land Law is forcing tradesmen into failed farming careers, harming the region's economy.
- The Temperance Crusade Comes to Olympia
A prominent attorney argues for a 'Maine Liquor Law' to suppress the liquor trade in Washington Territory.
- The Special Agent's Plea for Peace
Michael T. Simmons, newly appointed Indian Agent, calls for an end to liquor sales and unauthorized violence in the Puget Sound region.
- The Fight Over Suffrage for Mixed-Race Citizens
Territorial legislators debate whether citizens of mixed white and Indigenous heritage should be granted the right to vote.
- The 1854 Territorial Criminal Code
A comprehensive look at the foundational laws of Washington Territory, detailing everything from murder and manslaughter to the prohibition of kidnapping and coerced servitude.
- The Pioneer Argument Against Prohibition
An 1854 speech by legislator Mr. Chenoweth argues that legal coercion is a poor substitute for individual morality in the fight against intemperance.