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1. The Rogue of the Sound

   A smuggler on the Puget Sound recounts a brutal night of human trafficking and violence, offering a chilling glimpse into the lawless reality of the 1880s maritime border.

   Dec 30, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSalish Sea, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance · True Crime

2. The 'Kid Mayor' of Michigan Found in Port Townsend

   A brilliant young con artist once known as the 'Kid Mayor' has fled the Washington Territory after his real identity—and a trail of fraudulent bonds—finally caught up with him.

   Feb 27, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

3. The Young Man Who Gave Port Townsend Water

   While town officials debated for years, one enterprising citizen took matters into his own hands and built the city’s first private waterworks system.

   Dec 17, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerWater Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyFollow the Money

4. The Unseen Color Line: A Soldier’s Rejection at Fort Townsend

   A Black enlistee, accepted into the service and stationed in Washington Territory, finds himself turned away by a commanding officer who refused to honor his commission based on race.

   Jul 15, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerFort Townsend, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance

5. The Shadowy Arrival at Port Townsend

   Federal authorities intercept two young Chinese men smuggled into Washington Territory as 'contraband,' exposing the illicit human trafficking trade operating under the noses of border officials.

   Oct 30, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance · True Crime

6. The Sinking of the Underwriter

   A tragic maritime accident in Port Townsend harbor leaves a local captain’s schooner at the bottom of the channel.

   Jan 22, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPoint Hudson, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyDisasters

7. The Jury's Defiant Verdict

   A Port Townsend courtroom is stunned when a jury ignores the judge's instructions and acquits a defendant, leading to an immediate judicial rebuke.

   May 7, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

8. The Double-Cross on the Sloop Skagit

   A crafty smuggler’s attempt to offload his legal liability onto his hired hand backfires after a loose-lipped celebration at a local saloon.

   Dec 20, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerWater Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

9. The Ghost of a Shipwrecked Log

   A bottle washed ashore at Cape Flattery brings a message from a ship doomed by fire, while a local business turns the tragedy into a strange marketing stunt.

   Sep 26, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountySnake Oil

10. The Fight for a Port Townsend Customs House

    A Congressman makes a spirited plea to Washington D.C. for funds to house the booming commerce of the Puget Sound district.

    Apr 2, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall

11. The Narrow Escape of the Ship Spartan

    A historic vessel remains in Port Townsend Bay, a survivor of a devastating waterfront fire that nearly cost its captain his life.

    Apr 16, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend Bay, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyDisasters

12. Midnight Collision on the Sound

    A steam tug towing a barge is struck by an ocean-going ship in the dark of night, leaving the tug's crew scrambling for their lives.

    Jun 12, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPuget Sound, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyDisasters

13. The Opium Sloop of Port Townsend

    A routine smuggling bust on the Puget Sound uncovers a cargo of opium, a piano, and a fugitive deserter, sparking a legal struggle over seized property.

    Dec 16, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

14. The Forgotten Sailors: A Call for Reform in the U.S. Navy

    A seasoned veteran of the U.S. Navy writes from Port Townsend in 1886 to lament the decline of practical seamanship and the lack of decent pensions for sailors who have served their country for decades.

    Jul 22, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyWork & Pay

15. Federal Request for Protection at Port Townsend

    The Marine Hospital Bureau at Port Townsend expresses alarm over recent threats and requests a watchman to secure the facility.

    Sep 9, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall

16. The Perilous Mistake of Captain Thomas Wilson

    A small favor leads to a large legal headache when a Port Townsend steamer is accused of illegally transporting explosives.

    Sep 24, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyStrange But True

17. The Cutting-Edge Technology of an Arctic Expedition

    In 1885, a state-of-the-art surveying vessel arrived in Port Townsend, beginning a multi-year mission to map the treacherous and uncharted coastlines of Alaska.

    May 6, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyStrange But True

18. The Mystery of the 'Swamp Angel' and the Ship Olympia

    A century-old newspaper advertisement disguised as a news report used the haunting tale of a lost vessel to peddle a patent medicine for rheumatism.

    Aug 11, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountySnake Oil

19. A Masonic Funeral at Port Townsend

    After the death of Captain Thomas Stratton, the community rallied to ensure a proper burial in Port Townsend with full Masonic honors.

    Mar 18, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson County

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