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• 1877 ×

1. The Moonlit Confession: A Romantic Friendship in Snohomish

   A local resident’s poetic declaration of love to a companion named Fidencia, published in the 'Wonders' column, reveals the tender, coded language of queer intimacy in late-19th century Washington.

   May 12, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyLGBTQ+ Lives · Strange But True

2. The Postal War: How Snohomish’s Star Exposed Seattle’s Corrupt Postmaster

   In June 1877, the editor of the *Snohomish Star* launched a blistering public attack on the Seattle post office, alleging that political cronyism and negligence were deliberately delaying his paper to protect local rivals.

   Jun 2, 1877The Northern StarCommercial Street, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall

3. The Town That Rose from the Jam: Mount Vernon’s Wild Start

   A new settlement is sprouting along the Skagit River, fueled by loggers, surveyors, and a patriotic name change.

   Jun 9, 1877The Northern StarMount Vernon, Skagit CountyBoom & Bust

4. The Day the River Ran Red: A Tacoma Tragedy

   In a brutal dispute over territory and pride, 'Negro Bob' was shot dead by Kennek Joe in Tacoma, highlighting the violent intersections of race, labor, and frontier justice in 1877.

   Jun 9, 1877The Northern StarTacoma, Pierce CountyExclusion & Resistance · True Crime

5. The Log That Almost Killed: A Logger’s Narrow Escape

   In a dangerous era of manual labor, Mr. Howard of Eddy & Howard survived being crushed by a rolling timber on the Snohomish log road.

   Jun 16, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

6. The Governor’s Visit and the Militia’s March: July 1877 in Snohomish

   Governor Perry addresses a rapt crowd on Independence Day, while local men scramble to organize volunteer companies for the Nez Perce War.

   Jul 7, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyExclusion & Resistance

7. The Town That Wouldn't Sleep: Snohomish’s Fourth of July Overflow

   When the steamers arrived with guests from Seattle and upriver, two hotels couldn't hold them all. The town celebrated with a reading by a woman, a poem by a local man, and a boat ride that nearly capsized on the Skagit.

   Jul 14, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust · Strange But True

8. The First Cannery on the Sound: Vining’s Giant Fish Factory Opens in Mukilteo

   A new industrial giant rises on the Puget Sound waterfront, promising to feed Seattle and bring prosperity to a small town.

   Jul 28, 1877The Northern StarMukilteo, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

9. The Hoodlums of Snohomish: A Night of Guerilla Warfare

   In August 1877, a 'protective force' and the police clashed with gangs of young men in downtown Snohomish, destroying saloons and quelling what officials called 'riotous conduct.'

   Aug 4, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

10. The Forgotten Strike of 1877 in Snohomish

    A radical labor meeting calls for an eight-hour day and government intervention, warning that starving workers 'don't reason' when pushed to the brink.

    Aug 25, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

11. The Great Log Jam of 1877

    Heavy autumn rains trigger a massive flood on the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers, sweeping timber mills and millions of feet of logs downstream.

    Sep 15, 1877The Northern StarEbey Slough, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyDisasters

12. The Case for Decentralizing the Timber Industry

    An 1870s editorial argues that Snohomish County loggers are being exploited by giant corporations and proposes a localized milling model to ensure economic independence.

    Sep 15, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

13. The River’s Treacherous Grip

    A routine canoe trip on the Snohomish River turns into a life-or-death struggle when a sudden collision with a snag leaves a laborer fighting the current.

    Sep 15, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish River, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyDisasters

14. Squall Capsizes Boat Near Discovery Bay; Thomas Quinn Drowns

    A logging excursion near Discovery Bay ends in a fatal struggle for survival when a sudden squall capsizes a small boat.

    Oct 13, 1877The Northern StarDiscovery Bay, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyDisasters

15. The Shadow Ledger of 1877 Snohomish

    A grand jury investigation reveals that local commissioners were caught undercutting liquor licensing fees, triggering a deeper probe into potential corruption and the misdirection of public funds.

    Nov 17, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall

16. The Intellectual Meritocracy of the East

    In an era of intense anti-Chinese sentiment in the West, a Snohomish lecturer finds a startling, counter-intuitive argument for the superiority of Chinese governance: a rigorous, education-based civil service.

    Dec 8, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall

17. The President's Vision for Reconstruction

    In an era of deep national division, President Rutherford B. Hayes addresses Congress on the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, the restoration of civil order, and his hope for the rights of the newly emancipated.

    Dec 22, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall

18. Life at the Port Discovery Mill

    A dispatch from the bustling lumber town of Port Discovery, where 200 men—including Chinese and Indigenous laborers—keep one of the Pacific Coast's largest mills running day and night.

    May 25, 1877Puget Sound Weekly ArgusPort Discovery, Jefferson CountyWork & Pay

19. Smallpox Aboard the David Hoadley—and a Health Officer’s Warning

    A vessel bound for Port Gamble brought a smallpox case into Port Townsend harbor. Dr. Minor had the bark fumigated and the crew quarantined, then told the owners the captain’s recklessness would not be tolerated again.

    Mar 23, 1877Puget Sound Weekly ArgusPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall

20. The Wooden Walls of Puget Sound

    A survey of the booming fleet of vessels built in Washington Territory in 1877, and why the local economy was missing out on the profits of its own timber.

    Feb 17, 1877Puget Sound DispatchSeattle, King CountyFollow the Money

21. The Captain's Final Voyage

    A maritime tragedy in Seattle, as a hardened ship captain finds faith and a peaceful end following the sudden, harrowing loss of his wife.

    Nov 3, 1877Puget Sound DispatchFourth Street, Seattle, King County

22. The Unstable Ground Beneath Tacoma

    A historic landslide on the Tacoma waterfront serves as a stark reminder of the city's precarious geography.

    Dec 15, 1877Puget Sound DispatchTacoma, Pierce CountyDisasters

23. The Waterfront Gunfire Crisis of 1877

    An urgent plea from Seattle’s waterfront workers to stop the reckless recreational shooting that was putting lives at risk.

    Jan 8, 1877The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

24. The Struggle for a Safer Seattle Waterfront

    As the city rapidly expands its harbor, a push for a new railing along the waterfront aims to protect nighttime travelers from accidental falls.

    Jan 11, 1877The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

25. The 1877 Guide to Starting Over in Seattle

    When settlers from the Midwest wrote to the Seattle Intelligencer asking about the frontier, they got a blunt primer on the local economy, the 'bonanza' of land speculation, and the reality of life in the rainy territory.

    Jan 13, 1877The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

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