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• 1880–1889 ×

1. The Phoenix of the Pacific Northwest

   Following the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, citizens and local editors debate the path forward, viewing the total destruction of the business district as a necessary—if painful—opportunity for modern urban planning.

   Jun 17, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerDowntown Seattle, Seattle, King CountyBoom & Bust · Disasters

2. The Great Reconstruction: Seattle Rebuilds from the Ashes

   Just weeks after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, hundreds of laborers mobilize to clear debris and reconstruct the city’s vital infrastructure.

   Jul 2, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerWashington Street, Seattle, King CountyBoom & Bust · Disasters

3. The Morning After the Fire: Spokane Wakes Up in Tents and Vows to Rebuild

   A day after the great conflagration swept the city, Spokane's banks reopen, merchants trade under canvas, and outside capital pours in — even as thousands who were prosperous on Sunday night are left homeless.

   Aug 7, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSpokane, Spokane CountyBoom & Bust · Disasters

4. The Battle for the Seattle Waterfront

   As the Washington State Constitutional Convention nears its conclusion, delegates engage in a fierce final debate over the ownership of tide lands and the rights of the state versus private corporations.

   Aug 22, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle Waterfront, Seattle, King CountyFollow the Money

5. The Last Midnight of the Washington Constitutional Convention

   After fifty days of grueling debate and back-room maneuvering, delegates in Olympia finally finish the document that would define the state’s future.

   Aug 23, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

6. The Birth of Washington State: 1889 Constitution Draft

   A rare look at the foundational text that set the rules for labor, public education, and state governance upon Washington’s entry into the Union.

   Aug 23, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerState Capitol, Olympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall

7. The Burning of Oakville

   A deliberate act of arson leveled the Grays Harbor town of Oakville, sparking rumors of a wider conspiracy against the mill district.

   Sep 7, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOakville, Grays Harbor CountyDisasters

8. The Navy Eyes the Sound

   Federal commissioners officially name Port Orchard as the superior site for a major naval base in the Pacific Northwest.

   Sep 26, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Orchard, Bremerton, Kitsap CountyFollow the Money

9. Rising from the Embers: Ellensburg's Rapid Rebirth

   After a devastating fire consumed the heart of the city in July 1889, the community transformed from a charred wasteland into a brick-fronted city in just two months.

   Sep 26, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerDowntown Ellensburg, Ellensburg, Kittitas CountyBoom & Bust · Disasters

10. The Brutal Execution of Chief Kanaskat

    A vivid and harrowing account of the 1856 Puyallup conflict and the killing of the Klickitat leader.

    Mar 29, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyExclusion & Resistance

11. The Tragedy at the Hop Fields

    A brutal midnight attack on Chinese laborers in the hop fields draws calls for order and civil resolution.

    Sep 11, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyExclusion & Resistance

12. The Siege at the Newcastle Coal Mines

    A violent confrontation breaks out as 200 strikers clash with non-union men at a Seattle-area coal mine, leaving the community on edge.

    Nov 28, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerNewcastle, King CountyWork & Pay

13. The Day the Windsor Hotel Burned

    A ferocious wind fueled a fast-moving blaze that leveled the hotel and nearly half of the nearby business district, causing $150,000 in damages.

    Mar 26, 1886Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyDisasters

14. Washington Territory's Eight-Year Push for Statehood

    A Senate floor speech details the eight-year struggle for Washington Territory to shed its frontier status and become a state, including the controversial proposal to annex Idaho's northern panhandle.

    Apr 14, 1886Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

15. City Wins Right to Levy Special Street Assessments

    A landmark court decision by Judge Greene clears the path for city infrastructure funding by upholding the legality of special assessments for street improvements.

    Oct 7, 1886Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerColumbia Street, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall

16. The Clearing of the Ten Acres

    A dense forest in the pioneer village of Seattle was cleared by hand in 1861 to build a university, marking the humble birth of an institution that would grow with the frontier territory.

    Jan 2, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerCommercial Street, Seattle, King CountyFollow the Money

17. The 'Deep, Dark, Damnable Conspiracy' Against Women’s Votes

    In 1887, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer mocked the 'absurd' suspicion that the Territorial Supreme Court, the President, and local newspapers were conspiring to disenfranchise women through judicial appointments.

    Feb 5, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

18. The Forgotten Spokane Tribal Council of 1887

    A federal commission's frustrated attempt to settle tribal land disputes in Spokane Falls leads to a reluctant agreement brokered by a Catholic missionary.

    Jul 8, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSpokane, Spokane CountyExclusion & Resistance

19. The Right to Protect a Source in 1887 Seattle

    A landmark court ruling in Seattle established that a journalist cannot be legally compelled to reveal their sources, protecting the freedom of the press in the burgeoning territory.

    Sep 14, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

20. The Tragic Wreck of the Steamer Tacoma

    Captain George D. Korts faces an official inquiry into the catastrophic loss of the vessel, revealing a series of navigational errors and failed rescue attempts.

    Feb 24, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyDisasters

21. Masked Vigilantes Hang a Convicted Murderer in Dayton Jail

    James McPherson, convicted of murdering E. H. Cummins at New York Bar, was taken from the Dayton jail by masked men and hanged, despite a governor's reprieve and a new trial order.

    Aug 8, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerDayton, Columbia CountyTrue Crime

22. Railroad Monopoly Challenged in Court

    Chief Justice Greene rules against Northern Pacific's attempts to block competitors from their lines.

    Apr 15, 1884Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyFollow the Money

23. The Shadow Over the Puyallup Valley

    A Seattle committee investigates allegations of land-grabbing by the Northern Pacific Railway, threatening the tenure of timber and land owners.

    May 6, 1884Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money · City Hall

24. White Wins Pause on Puyallup Coal Road Land Patents

    Seattle’s advocate returns from Washington D.C. with updates on the struggle to reclaim Northern Pacific land grants from corporate control.

    Jun 10, 1884Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyFollow the Money

25. A Glue Pot, a Pail of Water, and the Fire That Took Seattle

    A painter, a cabinetmaker and a frightened workman recount how a glue pot and a bucket of water ignited the blaze that consumed Seattle.

    Jun 27, 1889The Yakima HeraldSeattle, King CountyDisasters

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