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 | 62 |
| 1858 | 29 |
| 1859 | 52 |
| 1860 | 27 |
| 1861 | 101 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
| 1864 | 32 |
| 1865 | 11 |
| 1871 | 11 |
| 1872 | 140 |
| 1876 | 812 |
| 1877 | 678 |
| 1878 | 526 |
| 1879 | 64 |
| 1880 | 180 |
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 911 |
| 1884 | 499 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
| 1888 | 440 |
| 1889 | 1,324 |
| 1890 | 287 |
| 1891 | 1,115 |
| 1892 | 2,855 |
| 1893 | 2,829 |
| 1894 | 2,116 |
| 1895 | 1,830 |
| 1896 | 2 |
| 1897 | 62 |
| 1898 | 196 |
| 1899 | 446 |
| 1900 | 114 |
| 1902 | 34 |
| 1903 | 1,332 |
| 1904 | 1,126 |
| 1905 | 124 |
| 1907 | 53 |
| 1908 | 351 |
| 1909 | 1,545 |
| 1910 | 413 |
| 1911 | 160 |
| 1912 | 73 |
| 1914 | 261 |
| 1915 | 300 |
| 1916 | 545 |
| 1917 | 332 |
| 1918 | 45 |
| 1919 | 5 |
| 1920 | 1 |
| 1922 | 18 |
| 1923 | 185 |
| 1924 | 151 |
| 1925 | 64 |
| 1928 | 14 |
| 1929 | 19 |
287 stories
- The Boomtown Strategy
North Yakima’s rapid expansion is fueled by massive infrastructure projects, including new irrigation canals and railroad connections.
- The First Legal Hanging in Kittitas County
Richard 'Boosy' Anderson faces execution for the murder of Charles Fox following a dispute over a dice game in a Roslyn saloon.
- The Health Crisis at Yakima’s Doorstep
A scathing editorial exposes the city council’s refusal to address the lack of a proper sewer system.
- Engineering the Columbia River
A federal river and harbor bill brings $79,000 to navigate the treacherous rapids between Rock Island and Priest Rapids.
- The Guilford Miller Land Case Resolved
A landmark victory for settlers against the Northern Pacific Railroad.
- The Okanogan Murder Mystery
A brutal killing on the frontier leaves a community searching for answers.
- State Legislature Grants Cities Local Control
A landmark bill passes in Olympia, allowing smaller towns to incorporate and manage their own debts, fueling the boom of the 1890s.
- Federal Ruling Kills Tide Land Speculation
The Secretary of the Interior rejects the use of 'Valentine Scrip' for public tide lands, dealing a blow to speculators in Seattle and Tacoma.
- The Tragic End of a Forgotten Life
A young, disabled woman dies in Seattle after surviving a life of exploitation at the hands of 'charitable' organizations.
- The Strange Attempt to 'Disincorporate' Sehome
Citizens and property owners are in an uproar over mysterious, potentially illegal efforts to redraw city boundaries and effectively end the existence of Sehome as a municipality.
- Fairhaven Objects to Whatcom Annexation Over Debt
Booster leaders argue that merging with Whatcom would be 'death' to Fairhaven’s budding identity and prosperity.
- The Starving Crew of the Iroquois
A US Navy vessel arrives in Port Townsend after a harrowing, months-long drift across the Pacific, leaving its crew near starvation.
- Collapse of a Mercantile Giant in Ellensburg
A devastating fire and the tightening of the money market force the largest mercantile house in Central Washington into a complex legal assignment.
- Cleaning House at Olympia
A political scandal involving 'boodlemen' and an anti-corruption push in the Washington State legislature.
- The Hotel Fife Arson Plot
Police foiled a coal-oil arson attempt at Tacoma’s Hotel Fife with 150 guests inside; J.L. Lewith was arrested.
- Catastrophic Livestock Losses in the Big Bend
A harsh winter decimates ninety percent of range cattle and horses, pushing ranchers to financial ruin as they struggle to save what little remains.
- The Fatal Tradition of Medicine Men
A tragic report from Klickitat County details the violent death of a traditional healer, highlighting the clash between Indigenous medical customs and outside influences.
- Land Jumpers Threaten Property Rights
Federal bureaucrats reclassifying railroad lands as public territory sparks chaos for homesteaders and investors.
- The Trolleys Are Coming to Yakima Avenue
A new 50-year franchise grants developers the power to lay streetcar tracks across the city's main thoroughfares.
- The Rail Barons' Wall Street Coup
How Jay Gould and the Standard Oil trust manipulated railroad securities to centralize control over the American West.
- Building a City on Sagebrush and Ambition
As 1890 dawns, a North Yakima editor reflects on a year of rapid growth, fire, and the relentless quest for the state capital.
- The Ellensburg Rape Case Dismissed
A sensational legal case involving a landlady’s accusations concludes with a discharge, highlighting the era's narrow legal definitions of victimhood.
- Winter’s Toll on the Yakima Range
Deep snow and poor grazing conditions lead to mass livestock casualties as ranchers report dire losses.
- A Violent Storm Strikes the Yakima Valley
High winds leveled buildings and tore heavy equipment from foundations in a storm that locals described as a true tornado.
- The Day the Students Dethroned Their Teacher
A classroom revolt in Waitsburg turns physical, leaving a respected educator humiliated and the school district in search of leadership.