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 |
1,126 stories
- An Orting Barn Burning Sparks Courtroom Insults
A defense attorney’s explosive courtroom conduct highlights a bitter family feud behind an arson charge in Orting.
- Musicians Stranded in Seattle After Labor Dispute
Two orchestra members of the Shay Opera Company find themselves out of work and funds after requesting their pay.
- The Battle for the Soul of Tacoma’s Fifth Ward
Local politicians and reformers face off over the 'wide-open' versus 'closed' town debate in a heated campaign meeting.
- The South Tacoma Campaign Rally
Republican candidates for city office tout fiscal management, lower indebtedness, and a 'purified' city during a South Tacoma gathering.
- A Family's Terror in the Olympic Woods
A mother and her seven children are rescued from a wilderness cabin after being held captive by an insane husband.
- The Councilman and the Kentucky Saloon
A Tacoma city councilman faces a public scandal after a local bartender accuses him of ruining business.
- The Fight Over Indian Land Taxes
A legal challenge in Tacoma's superior court questions if tribal land can be taxed, pitting state authority against federal protections.
- The Shadow of War on the Puget Sound
Federal agents quietly canvas local shipping companies to inventory vessels capable of transporting cavalry and forage, sparking fears of American involvement in the Russo-Japanese War.
- The Fight for Tacoma’s Political Independence
Democratic candidates rally in the Fifth Ward against the 'one-man' rule and corporate influence in municipal governance.
- Shipboard Rebellion on the Pleiades
A Tacoma steamship officer learns that the crew has its own code of justice after attempting to flog a cook.
- The Salvation Army's Radical Plan to End Urban Poverty
Commander Booth-Tucker calls for government-backed farm colonies to rescue the urban poor, citing the success of land reform in New Zealand.
- The Political Ambitions of a Progressive Society
After finding traction in a local ward race, a Scandinavian social reform group vows to expand its influence into county and state elections.
- City Hall Appointment Sparks Democratic Party Feud
Tacoma’s incoming mayor faces internal party resistance over the appointment of a plumber to a high-ranking public works post.
- Midland Residents Demand Fire Safety
Neighbors petition the county fire warden to stop a local mill from burning refuse in open air, fearing forest destruction.
- A Wave of Home Burglaries Strikes Tacoma
Three Tacoma residences targeted in a single weekend as thieves escape with cash and jewelry.
- The Battle Over Tacoma's High School Site
A local critic argues against repurposing the controversial 'Tourist Hotel' property for a new city high school.
- Longshoremen Block Police Appointment
Tacoma union workers successfully pressured the Mayor to rescind the appointment of a police sergeant who had acted as a strike-breaker.
- Diving to the Sunken Andelana
A reporter joins a salvage diver to inspect the wreckage of the British ship Andelana, resting deep beneath the silt of the Puyallup River.
- The High School Debate: A City’s Moral Geography
A leading clubwoman makes the case for converting a downtown hotel into a high school, arguing that exposure to the city’s bustle is part of a real education.
- The Old Tourist Hotel Finds New Life as a High School
After a confused election and a tense recount, Tacoma voters clear the way to transform a landmark hotel into a public school.
- The Tigers' Disastrous Home Opener
Six thousand Tacoma fans endure a sloppy, demoralizing loss at the hands of the Oakland ball club, prompting local sports writers to question the team's heart.
- The Salvation Army's Plan to End Urban Poverty
A proposal to move impoverished tenement dwellers from congested cities onto government-allotted public lands in the West.
- The Road to South Tacoma is a Muddy Mess
Business leaders complain that the main thoroughfare connecting Tacoma to its southern prairie is in such disrepair that it is throttling local trade.
- Tacoma Property Owners Fight Street Improvements
Citizens mount a second protest against expensive city upgrades to E Street, but the council remains unmoved.
- Fatal Shooting in the Auburn Woods Ruled Justifiable
A jury exonerates John North for the killing of Charles Paulson after hearing testimony that the act was carried out under the direction of the city marshal.