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 |
2,829 stories
- The Price of a Scandalous Partnership
A woman who eloped to Seattle seeks to reclaim her share of a partnership, only to have a judge dismiss the suit as based on an 'immoral consideration.'
- A Neighborhood Indignant After Express Driver Maims Child
A three-year-old girl is severely injured after an express team driver allegedly ignored a mother’s desperate cries and fled the scene in Seattle's Broadway district.
- A Deadly Nap by the Tracks
A store clerk near Mount Vernon meets a tragic end after falling asleep on a rail platform.
- The Steamship Flyer Outraces the City of Puebla
A spontaneous and competitive race between the Flyer and the larger steamship City of Puebla captivated the Seattle waterfront.
- The Mayor and the Judge Clash Over Profanity
A power struggle in Seattle’s municipal court erupted when the mayor and city prosecutor refused to follow a judge's orders to prosecute a case involving a 'cursing' boat captain.
- A Widow’s Armed Vigil at the Grave
After her husband’s suspicious death, a Seattle woman takes up arms to stop authorities from disturbing his remains.
- The Sudden Death of a Beloved Seattle Physician
Dr. E. L. Smith, a pillar of the Seattle medical community and veteran of the National Guard, dies unexpectedly in his sleep at the Butler Hotel.
- Abandoned in a Ballard Shack
After her husband left her for another woman, Mrs. Belle Eagon and her three young children faced eviction and hunger until neighbors intervened.
- A Desperate Leap into Lake Washington
A woman known as 'Bessie' was rescued from the waters of Lake Washington near Madrona Park following a reported suicide attempt.
- The Sidewalk Eviction on Ninth and Main
A second-hand store proprietor was physically tossed onto the sidewalk by a landlord and her son after a dispute over furniture and rent turned into a public scuffle.
- The Watermelon War at Snoqualmie
A young man's struggle against an aggressive hop ranch owner lands in federal court, ending in a victory for property rights.
- The Commissioner, the Gambler, and the Shakedown
A bold blackmail attempt at the Russell House ends in a police hunt for a notorious 'steerer' and his accomplice.
- A Burglary and Arson on Tenth Street
A homeowner discovers her house filled with smoke after burglars ransack her residence and leave a lit match on the mantel.
- The Shingle Mill Strike Turns Violent
A simmering industrial dispute at a Seattle mill boils over into a public brawl, threatening the peace of the streets.
- The Great Northern's Building Boom
New bricks and stone are transforming the downtown core as the Great Northern Railway’s arrival spurs a flurry of commercial construction.
- Midnight Blast at a Chinese Laundry
A loud explosion near South Sixth and Washington Street sends Seattle police on a frantic manhunt for a mysterious bomber.
- Tragedy Strikes Children Under Poorly Installed Building Shutters
Two young children are critically injured after a heavy iron shutter, improperly secured to the brick exterior of the Squire-Latimer building, collapsed onto them.
- The Deadly Cost of a Daredevil's Stunt
A young man dies after a disastrous parachute exhibition at Snoqualmie Falls, leaving a grieving father to handle the tragic aftermath.
- The Political Immolation of C.G. Heifner
When an out-of-town appointee snatched a local land office position, a Seattle official was burned in effigy by angry crowds in Skagit County.
- The Waterfront Brawl
A drunken knife fight among sailors leads to a mysterious disappearance, leaving the Seattle police baffled.
- The Child of Contention
A twelve-year-old girl is caught in a legal tug-of-war between her struggling mother and the House of the Good Shepherd.
- A Shootout on Front Street
An attempted arrest of two suspected thieves ends in a violent exchange of gunfire near the waterfront.
- The Bookkeeper Who Played Lawyer
A former insurance company clerk, accused of forgery, stunned the King County courtroom by ditching his defense counsel to argue his own case.
- The City vs. The County: A Dispute Over Who Feeds the Poor
A finger-pointing match erupts between the City of Seattle and King County as local officials refuse to fund the medical care of the indigent.
- Vigilante Justice in Cle Elum
Citizens in Cle Elum adopt a brutal method of 'dealing with obstreperous hobos' using whips.