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1. The Exclusion of 1888

   A new federal law mandates harsh restrictions and identification requirements for Chinese laborers, forcing them to exit and enter through only six designated ports, including Port Townsend.

   Aug 9, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance

2. The Jesuit Who Shot an Archbishop: A Murderer’s Cold Confession on the Way to Prison

   Frank Fuller, convicted of killing Catholic Archbishop Seghers in the Alaskan wilderness, speaks to reporters as he is transported by steamship from Port Townsend to McNeil Island.

   May 15, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

3. Riot in Port Townsend: Citizens vs. Sailors on the Verge of Violence

   A tense standoff erupts as local citizens arm themselves to prevent Coast Seamen's Union members from boarding the steamer Sumatra, leading to arrests and imminent bloodshed.

   May 27, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyWork & Pay

4. The Day the Sloop Fired on a Federal Cutter

   In 1860, twenty-four Port Townsend citizens chartered a sloop to save $5 on fares to Olympia. When intercepted by a revenue cutter, their captain opened fire with a brass howitzer—only to discover he’d just threatened the U.S. government.

   Jul 1, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyStrange But True

5. The Waterfront Cold War: Seattle's 1888 Seamen's Strike

   Tensions boil over on the Puget Sound as sailors fight a planned wage reduction, leading to a massive standoff in Port Townsend.

   Jul 7, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyWork & Pay

6. The Boomtown That Expected to Replace Seattle

   In 1888, the 'Key City' of Port Townsend was convinced its massive rail subsidy and harbor status would make it the primary metropolis of the Pacific Northwest.

   Jun 19, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTaylor Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

7. The 'Key City' Hype Machine: A 19th-Century Real Estate Fever Dream

   Before Seattle cemented its dominance, Port Townsend was positioning itself as the 'future great city of the New Northwest,' fueled by a massive, speculative railroad subsidy.

   Jun 21, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTaylor Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

8. The Unexplained Departure of Mrs. Frite

   A husband’s public notice of his wife’s desertion sparks confusion in Port Townsend, as he vows to never take her back.

   Jul 17, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyScandal

9. The Outlaw Who Bought His Way Into a Saloon

   Frank Mossman, a notorious repeat offender with three prior jail breaks, walked into a Port Townsend saloon on Sunday night and refused to leave—until he threw rocks at the bartender.

   May 22, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

10. The Boomtown That Expected to Be 'The Next San Francisco'

    In 1888, the 'Key City' of Port Townsend was so convinced of its impending status as a transcontinental rail terminus that it began feverishly selling off the entire landscape.

    Jun 22, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTaylor Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

11. The Passing of the Duke of York

    The leader of the Clallam people, a historic figure and friend to early pioneers, dies in Port Townsend with plans for a monument in his honor.

    Jun 24, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance

12. The Boom on the Sound

    A look at the rapid industrial and commercial expansion of Port Townsend in 1888.

    Jun 23, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

13. Port Townsend Doubled Its Population Without a Boom Campaign

    In 1888, Port Townsend boosters promised their city would become the next San Francisco by monopolizing the region's rail and shipping trade.

    Jun 23, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTaylor Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

14. The 'Sot Guilty' Scandal: How a Legal Loophole Freed a Murderer in Washington Territory

    A detailed account of the chaotic grand jury proceedings in Port Townsend that resulted in the dismissal of an indictment against a man accused of killing his wife, exposing deep flaws in territorial law.

    Jul 3, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyTrue Crime

15. The Boomtown Delusion of Port Townsend

    In the late 1880s, Port Townsend boosters scrambled to convince the world that their city was destined to be the 'Frisco' of the Pacific Northwest.

    Jun 20, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTaylor Street, Port Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

16. The Lost Letter of Port Townsend

    A postal worker at the Port Townsend wharf brushes off a man’s frantic search for a missing letter, revealing a small, forgotten drama of 1888.

    Aug 16, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyExclusion & Resistance

17. The Great Rainout: Seattle’s Masonic Festival Drowned by the Sky

    As delegates from across the territory gathered for a grand celebration, an unrelenting downpour forced organizers to cancel races and hope for a dry evening tea.

    Jun 15, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson County

18. The New Boom in Port Townsend

    Fresh from the recent election, the new municipal government promises rapid expansion and a bold vision for civic infrastructure.

    Aug 5, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyCity Hall

19. The Day the Knights Came to Town

    A delegation of Redmen from Port Townsend arrives in Seattle for a ceremonial gathering, greeted by crowds and banquets.

    Jun 27, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson County

20. The Boom Town That Never Was: Port Townsend's Rail Hopes

    A local investor promises five hundred men will grade the Port Townsend Southern Railroad within three weeks, fueling dreams of a transit metropolis that ultimately vanished into the fog of history.

    Sep 4, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyBoom & Bust

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