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 |
1,332 stories
- County Printing Scandal Brews in Centralia
Local newspaper proprietors accuse the News-Examiner of padding invoices for county work.
- The Politics of Public Health
As the city grows, Dr. Lueders argues that the municipal health officer's role must evolve beyond basic contagion management to include systemic urban sanitation.
- The Fight Over Local Road Taxes
A Marysville resident challenges a poll-tax law, sparking a legal test case that worries road commissioners.
- A Former Governor Settles Scores
Ex-Governor Moore takes to the press to defend his political record and fire back at a rival newspaper.
- A Terrifying Bike Encounter
A Thurston County man narrowly escapes a black bear attack while cycling on a rural road near Little Rock.
- Whitman College Buys 18-Room Mansion for Campus
The college purchases the historic Baker residence to complete its quadrangle and announces significant faculty changes for the coming year.
- The Vanishing Grocer of Garfield
A local merchant leaves on a routine business trip to Spokane and vanishes, leaving his family and neighbors in a state of growing alarm.
- Speculation and Contests Arise Over Columbia River Sands
Long-neglected riverbank lands near the Snake River junction are suddenly subject to legal contests as settlers rush to file desert land claims.
- The Supreme Court Rules Against Gambling Debts
A Spokane County case sets a new precedent: checks used for gambling losses are legally void, even if passed to third parties.
- Railroads Escape Taxes While County Officials Accept Passes
The county commissioners reduced railroad valuations again, forcing taxpayers to cover the state revenue shortfall.
- The Franchise Fight
The newly seated Walla Walla City Council engages in a heated dispute over gas and electric utility franchises.
- A Costly Palace for the Poor?
Walla Walla County commissioners face criticism over a proposal to replace the contract system with a twelve-thousand-dollar brick building.
- Spokane Gambler Cashes In on Anti-Gambling Law
A convicted gambler finds a profitable loophole in his prison sentence, allegedly collecting a daily stipend while serving time.
- City Hall Orders Families Out of Town
After a fierce family dispute in Walla Walla turned public, the police chief ordered the parties to camp outside city limits to restore neighborhood peace.
- The Walnut Boom in the Pacific Northwest
After decades of skepticism, horticulturists confirm that English walnuts can thrive in Washington orchards, offering farmers a lucrative new crop.
- Explosion at the Gas Well
A routine water-drilling operation in Whatcom turns into a hazardous discovery when a match ignites a pocket of natural gas.
- Summer Storm Floods Walla Walla
A sudden deluge leaves streets submerged, damages wheat harvests, and sends mountain campers fleeing back to the city.
- The Cantaloupe Gold Rush
A Walla Walla produce dealer discovers that leasing Indian lands near the Yakima River has created a lucrative new fruit-growing empire.
- Whitman College Kicks Off the Academic Year
A night of music and poetry at the college chapel marks the opening of the 1903 fall term.
- The Shipbuilder’s Debt of Honor
A Seattle industrialist pays back a fifty-cent loan given to him by a stranger when he was a penniless runaway.
- Questionable Audits at the Courthouse
Taxpayers are footing the bill for 'experts' who have done little but drain the county treasury.
- Walla Walla's Growing Pains and Water Worries
A civil engineer lays out a blueprint for the city's future water supply, warning that small, aging pipes are a danger to fire safety.
- The Milk Scientist
A breakthrough in chemical detection methods brings local scientists together to test the deadly effects of formaldehyde in the food supply.
- Tragic Loss of Young Local Boy
A young boy from Walla Walla passes away following an appendicitis surgery, highlighting the risks of early 20th-century medicine.
- Liquor Dealers Form Protective Shield
A statewide association of liquor dealers pledges to provide legal counsel for members facing 'blue law' prosecutions.