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 |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 6 |
| 1860 | 4 |
| 1861 | 9 |
| 1862 | 6 |
| 1863 | 6 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 13 |
| 1876 | 97 |
| 1877 | 60 |
| 1878 | 47 |
| 1879 | 4 |
| 1880 | 19 |
| 1882 | 12 |
| 1883 | 83 |
| 1884 | 43 |
| 1885 | 76 |
| 1886 | 50 |
| 1887 | 47 |
| 1888 | 38 |
| 1889 | 118 |
| 1890 | 26 |
| 1891 | 92 |
| 1892 | 255 |
| 1893 | 214 |
| 1894 | 209 |
| 1895 | 233 |
| 1897 | 9 |
| 1898 | 26 |
| 1899 | 42 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1902 | 3 |
| 1903 | 102 |
| 1904 | 77 |
| 1905 | 4 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1908 | 22 |
| 1909 | 121 |
| 1910 | 31 |
| 1911 | 9 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1914 | 14 |
| 1915 | 19 |
| 1916 | 30 |
| 1917 | 28 |
| 1918 | 3 |
| 1922 | 2 |
| 1923 | 11 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 7 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 1 |
222 stories matching head
- The Political Gossip That Almost Toppled a Judge
In an era of vicious party-line journalism, a Seattle editor defends his local officials against accusations of being 'copper-heads' and 'carpet-baggers,' echoing today’s heated partisan discourse.
- The Narrow Escape: A Four-Year-Old’s Head Survives a Wagon Wheel
In the muddy streets of 1876 Seattle, a toddler’s life hung by a thread when a heavy wagon rolled directly over his skull—yet he walked away with only minor injuries.
- The Unfair Tax on Being Alive
An 1878 Seattle citizen challenges the 'double and treble taxation' of poll taxes, arguing that labor should not be penalized while property owners receive preferential treatment.
- The Arrow That Stole a Boy's Sight
A tragic accident in a Seattle yard leaves a 13-year-old boy blind, highlighting the dangers of childhood play in the unregulated frontier.
- The Cattle Drive Through Seven Feet of Snow
Defying winter, a determined group of drovers successfully pushed fifty head of cattle through the Snoqualmie Pass, a feat never before recorded this early in the year.
- The Man Who Would Build His Own Locomotives
In 1876, Seattle industrialist J.M. Colman rejected foreign machinery in favor of local manufacturing, predicting a self-sufficient Pacific Northwest within five years.
- The Man Who Killed a Neighbor Over a Book
In a quiet moment of domestic tragedy in Walla Walla, a carpenter’s son strikes down a respected citizen with a hammer while the victim was simply reading.
- The Price of Survival in Early Snohomish
A look at the 1870s market ledger reveals the volatile costs of basic survival, from milch cows to butter and grain, in the burgeoning river town.
- The Price of Survival in 1880s Snohomish
A look at the commodities and labor costs that defined life in the frontier settlement of Snohomish City.
- The Great Cattle Stampede on Wharf Street
Eight head of prize beef from Puget Sound ignored the slaughterhouse route and raided a grain store instead.
- Schooner Captain Charged After Attacking His Mate
Captain Ingerson of the Clara Light was arrested in Port Townsend and held on $1,000 bond after his crew testified that he kicked his mate, William Cook, in the head and face.
- Brutal Assault on Indigenous Woman Reported
An Indian woman, identified as Mrs. J'ouls, suffered a fractured skull during a violent attack near the Puyallup reservation.
- The Wild Fertility of the Sammamish Valley
A local settler reports on the rapid agricultural development and the urgent need for river navigation to bring produce to market.
- The Tragedy at No. 21 Nixons Street
A Puget Sound trader’s sudden descent into madness leaves a wife dead and himself in his blood on the floor of their attic home.
- The Tragic Accident That Stopped a Clock: The Death of Mr. H. Kelly
A promising builder and father of four dies in a freak hunting accident on the banks of the Snohomish River, leaving his grieving widow to raise their children alone.
- The Mystery of the Duwamish River Murder
A Norwegian immigrant is found brutally murdered in a ravine, leaving behind a cold trail, a missing peddler, and a community unsettled by itinerant crime.
- The Divorce Consultation That Did Not Go As Planned
A determined woman visits a Seattle attorney seeking help to evict her husband, only to be told that the law does not work quite the way she imagined.
- The Day the Locomotives Derailed on the Black River
A morning commute goes wrong just outside Seattle when two coal trains collide head-on, sending steam engines into the mud.
- The Price of Living in Pioneer Snohomish
A look at the cost of goods and the local economy in 1880s Snohomish, from the price of work oxen to the cost of a barrel of flour.
- A Seven-Foot Sea Serpent Washes Up Near Cape Flattery
Capt. Stratton of Neah Bay brings a finned, many-toothed monster to Port Townsend, and the local editor reaches for the Laocoön to describe it.
- A Chaotic Buggy Crash on Third Street
A pair of young, half-broken horses went berserk in downtown Seattle, leading to a violent wreck that left the passengers with broken bones and the animals severely injured.
- The Political Brawl at the Territorial University
A scathing editorial from 1872 exposes a 'Klux clan' of government officials caught in a web of corruption, bribes, and public dishonesty.
- The Original Seattle Real Estate Hustle
In 1876, a pioneer developer lured buyers with the promise of 'a lot for nothing,' provided they were willing to build their own future on his terms.
- A Frontier Exit Strategy
As one pioneer prepares to leave Snohomish for the East, his massive land divestment offers a snapshot of the region's early agricultural and industrial aspirations.
- The Patent Steam Dryer at Yesler’s Wharf
A new industrial appliance for families arrives in late 19th-century Seattle, promising to modernize the household chore of food preservation.