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1. The Explorer’s Widow Visits Olympia

   Lady Jane Franklin, still searching for answers about her husband's lost Arctic expedition, visits the Washington Territory.

   Mar 2, 1861Washington StandardTumwater, Olympia, Thurston County

2. Judge Chambers’s New Mill Turns New Dungeness Wheat Into ‘Superb’ Flour

   A newspaper tour of the just-finished grist mill found machinery ‘complete in every particular’ and a cleaning apparatus that astonished the visitors.

   Oct 19, 1860Puget Sound HeraldChambers’ mill, SteilacoomBoom & Bust

3. The Midnight Vandal at the Standard Office

   An editorial office in Olympia faces a late-night visit from an assailant armed with an effigy and firearms.

   Aug 30, 1862Washington StandardOlympia, Thurston CountyTrue Crime

4. The Tale of Jonathan Homespun's Granary

   A cautionary tale of a farmer who learned the hard way that 'everybody's business' is nobody's business.

   Mar 8, 1862Washington StandardOlympia, Thurston County

5. A Daring Prison Break Nearly Becomes a Tragedy

   A Walla Walla prisoner’s attempt to squeeze through a barred window leaves him trapped and nearly hanging by his own neck.

   Dec 2, 1864Walla Walla StatesmanWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyTrue Crime

6. The Day the Steamers Left Puget Sound

   An 1861 Steilacoom editor warns that losing ocean steamship service will isolate Washington Territory and strangle its growth.

   Mar 28, 1861Puget Sound HeraldSteilacoom, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust

7. The Smuggler's Hold in Port Townsend

   A US Customs inspection reveals a secret cargo of sugar and pork, risking vessel forfeiture and perjury charges.

   Jun 7, 1862Washington StandardPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

8. A Clash Over Religion and Power at Simcoe

   Superintendent Kendall's decision to fire staff at the Simcoe Agency sparks a furious debate over the separation of church and state in Indian affairs.

   Nov 2, 1861Washington StandardWhite Swan, King CountyCity Hall

9. An Early Exploration of the Quillehuyt River

   James G. Swan documents his journey into the remote Quillehuyt River country, naming landmarks and describing the indigenous villages encountered.

   Oct 5, 1861Washington StandardQuillayute River, La Push, Clallam CountyFollow the Money

10. The Town That Lost Its Custom House

    An observant traveler visits Port Townsend and finds a community reeling from political retaliation and questionable pulpit interpretations.

    Nov 22, 1862Washington StandardPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

11. Life on the Edge of the World: A Dispatch from Tatoosh Island

    A rare 1861 account of the desolate, storm-battered lives of lighthouse keepers and their interactions with the Makah people at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

    Jul 20, 1861Washington StandardNeah Bay, Clallam CountyStrange But True

12. The Beacon at the Edge of the World

    A rare dispatch from the remote Tatoosh Island lighthouse reveals the technical marvel of the Fresnel lens and the isolation of the keepers guarding the Pacific entrance.

    Jul 13, 1861Washington StandardNeah Bay, Clallam CountyStrange But True

13. An Explorer’s Report from the Northwestern Frontier

    A detailed dispatch describing the agricultural potential, wildlife, and natural beauty of the Clallam County prairies.

    Feb 23, 1861Washington StandardSequim, Clallam County

14. Gold on the Wenatchee

    Miners returning from the Wenatchee country report paying prospects—and a rush is already forming from Puget Sound.

    Feb 7, 1861Puget Sound HeraldWenatchee River, Wenatchee, Chelan CountyFollow the Money · Boom & Bust

15. The Pony Express Ends: Lincoln Wins, But the South Sees War

    As the Pony Express delivers the shocking news of Abraham Lincoln’s election to a nervous Sacramento, Olympia residents mark local weddings and watch their market prices hold steady.

    Nov 23, 1860Washington StandardOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

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