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 | 1 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 6 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 13 |
| 1876 | 37 |
| 1877 | 31 |
| 1878 | 10 |
| 1880 | 4 |
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1883 | 26 |
| 1884 | 16 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1886 | 14 |
| 1887 | 11 |
| 1888 | 16 |
| 1889 | 54 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1891 | 32 |
| 1892 | 55 |
| 1893 | 54 |
| 1894 | 68 |
| 1895 | 68 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 26 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 17 |
| 1904 | 14 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 4 |
| 1909 | 17 |
| 1910 | 2 |
| 1911 | 3 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 3 |
| 1916 | 4 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1924 | 2 |
| 1928 | 2 |
166 stories matching moment
- The Speaker’s Gavel Clash
In the Territorial House, a subtle procedural error leads to a public confrontation over how legislation is truly passed.
- The Deadly Consequences of 'Just for Fun'
A sobering editorial on how boys' thoughtless pranks—like stretching ropes across sidewalks or lighting dogs on fire—result in lifelong tragedy.
- The Seattle Man Who Tried to Photograph the Soul
A local resident claims to have invented a device that captures the human spirit departing the body at the moment of death.
- The Fire That Saved Us: A Call for a Second Steamer
A Seattle resident writes to the Post-Intelligencer arguing that the recent downtown blaze proves the city’s single fire engine is no longer enough—and demands an immediate duplicate.
- A Moment of Grace Amidst the Pageantry of Politics
During a political procession in Seattle, a bedridden girl’s fleeting interaction with President Benjamin Harrison captures a rare moment of humanity.
- The Morning the Earth Shook in Seattle
An unusually violent tremor rattles early risers in 1886, marking a moment of shared alarm in the developing town.
- University Social Honors Professor Lee and Retiring Professor Bradley
A celebratory gathering at the university president's home marks the return of a faculty member and the departure of another to his farm.
- The Solitary Tailor’s Winter Plea
A brief, wistful moment in 1884 Seattle captures the isolating struggle of early frontier life through a tailor’s longing for a coat.
- The Funeral Faux Pas
A daughter’s confusion during a somber Seattle funeral creates a moment of awkward levity in the midst of mourning.
- The Shadowy 'Dynamiters' and the Seattle Employment Crisis
While international fears of dynamite conspiracies gripped 1885, a local Seattle employment agency quietly documented the harsh reality of thousands of men out of work, desperate, and struggling in the wake of an ironworks decline.
- The Great Hop Correction: A Merchant’s Penny and the Price of Truth
In a rare moment of journalistic humility, local merchants publicly corrected a previous error regarding hop prices, revealing the volatile nature of Seattle’s agricultural trade in February 1903.
- The Gold-Flecked Foothills of Puyallup
While major industries dominated the city’s economy, one prospector found that turning over stones in the local wilderness could yield a surprising fortune.
- The Miracle Bologna That Fought a Cat
A local man tests a dubious 'elixir of life' on his lunch, with shockingly violent results for his sandwich.
- The Engineer’s Heartbreak
An engineer rushing home to his dying daughter crashes his train, only to find solace in the delirium of his final moments.
- The Fire That Paid: How a Grocery Store’s Loss Became a Lesson in Civic Trust
When a fire destroyed the premises of Mossfeldt & Pratt on Jackson Street, their insurance company didn't just pay up—they published a public thank-you note. A rare moment of transparency in 1889 Seattle.
- The Sad End of 'Shannon the Wag'
After surviving a previous brush with death, a Vancouver man found his final end in a lonely shed—and the town was in no mood to wait for a second resurrection.
- A Deadly Afternoon on the Duwamish
A quiet afternoon of target practice turns into a desperate race for survival as a husband accidentally shoots his wife, triggering a high-speed rescue down the river.
- Tragedy at the Seattle Penitentiary
A desperate escape attempt by three prisoners at the Seattle jail ends in a bloody shootout, leaving one dead and others wounded.
- A Sudden Tragedy at the Homestead
A quiet farming life in Seattle ends in a moment of accidental violence when a young man meets an untimely end.
- Sudden Death at the New England Hotel
A stranger who arrived in Seattle just ten days prior died instantly of heart disease in the dining room.
- The Fire That Paid the Bills: A Grocery Owner’s Gratitude
In the chaotic early days of Seattle, a local grocery firm received a full cash payout from an insurance company after their Jackson Street store burned down—a rare moment of financial relief in a city prone to disaster.
- Women Serve on Grand Jury in Chehalis
A landmark moment in Washington Territory as women take their seats in the courtroom.
- The Collapse of a Pioneer Financial Institution
When the Bank of Seattle shuttered its doors, the local economy faced a sharp, sobering moment as depositors and business owners grappled with the fallout.
- The Front Street Fight: Seattle’s First Battle Over Urban Planning
In a rare moment of civic clarity, the Seattle City Council rejected a street railway company's proposal to destroy Front Street, recognizing that private profit should not override public infrastructure.
- The Shadow Candidate
A political editorial argues that the People's Party candidate for Sheriff is merely a 'puppet' for a controversial newcomer.