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 |
2,116 stories
- No Cars, No Shingles: Washington's Mills Faced a Statewide Shutdown
With floods and a strike choking the transcontinental lines, shingle men warned that every mill in Washington would close within two weeks.
- Tacoma Beats the Railroad Over Its Own Waterfront
The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses Northern Pacific's bid to stop harbor lines along Tacoma's waterfront, handing the city a victory over the railroad's claim to 200 feet on each side of its track.
- Fire Destroys Waterfront Boarding House
A two-story residence for sawmill workers is leveled by an early morning blaze in Seattle.
- Seattle’s Fire Department Answered 197 Alarms in 1893 — Nearly Half Were False
The chief’s annual report counted 98 false alarms, touted small losses, and asked the city for a fire marshal and better alarm wires.
- Shoemakers Form Protective Union to Restore Prices
After organizing at labor headquarters, local cobblers and shoe shop owners unite to purge cut-price advertising and set standards for the trade.
- The Spokane Millionaire's Mystery Marriage
A Spokane tycoon battles newspaper rumors and his own murky statements to deny a secret wedding.
- The Scandal of the Stage Tights
A Spokane socialite faced a moral crusade for daring to play a male role in a light opera.
- Steamer Minnie M. Lost in Bellingham Gale
A stern-wheeler carrying local supplies to Lummi Island is claimed by the rough waters of Bellingham Bay.
- The Lawyer and the Rubber Coat
A Seattle attorney pulls a local government worker from a watery death in the harbor by the tails of his coat.
- Tragedy on a Whatcom County Farm
A young boy is killed by his older brother in a tragic, accidental shooting with a farm shotgun.
- Why One Mill Refused the Shingle Trust
A local manufacturer pens a defiant letter against the push for a shingle monopoly, arguing for the free market over artificial price fixing.
- The Dreamer of the Lodging House
A laborer arrested for a barroom scuffle wakes in jail, convinced he committed a murder he only dreamt of.
- A Corporate Squeeze in Seattle
A stockholder sues to place a local railway and elevator company under receivership, alleging a conspiracy to freeze out investors.
- County Surveyor Pocketed $2 a Day From Subordinates
A Seattle newspaper exposes how the local county surveyor was illegally skimming off the wages of his subordinates for his own personal profit.
- The Great Potato Bust of 1894
Farmers hold out for higher prices, only to watch the market collapse as California shipments flood in.
- Will Clallam County Strike Coal?
Prospectors are drilling in Port Angeles, hoping that sandstone discolorations signal a rich coal vein beneath the city.
- The Mountain Lion Hunter of Chelan
A local hunter brings in a massive cougar as regional reports note the predator is terrorizing the deer population.
- The Janitor's Failed Replevin of Romance
A Seattle janitor attempted to sue his former flame for the return of bedroom furniture after she refused to marry him, only to be laughed out of court.
- The Mysterious Snoqualmie Valley Elopement
A young woman vanishes from her home in Pleasant Hill, only to reappear days later in a pre-arranged wedding.
- A New Lifeline for the Cedar River Valley
Construction of a new bridge and deep-water wharf aims to finally connect the residents of Renton and the Cedar River Valley directly to Seattle by water.
- Seattle’s First 'Messiah' Performance
A chorus of 175 voices packed Plymouth Church in a landmark cultural event that hinted at the city's future as a musical center.
- The Price of Proving Up on Timber Land
A reader argues that the President’s veto of a relief bill makes it nearly impossible for average settlers to acquire government land without losing everything to travel costs and lawyers.
- The Supreme Court Rules on Street Grading Liability
The Washington State Supreme Court clarifies the statute of limitations for damage claims against the City of Seattle.
- Winter Baptism in the Frozen Waters of Lagrande Creek
Over a hundred congregants braved icy, frigid conditions for a mass baptismal ceremony.
- The Political Machine and the Citizens' Ticket
A bitter look at local political maneuvering in 1894, as power brokers attempt to bypass the Republican ticket.