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 |
2,134 stories
- Bootleg Rings Thrived Under Washington's Dry Law
As Washington State’s 1916 'dry law' causes bootlegging to explode, local newspapers argue that criminalizing private habits only breeds corruption and crime.
- The Dark-Lantern Courthouse Deal That Split Benton County
Two defeated commissioners pushed a $125,000 courthouse bond through in thirty minutes, and Kennewick's editor saw a county-seat conspiracy — and a raid on the taxpayers' treasury.
- The Courthouse Deal Done in the Dark
Benton County commissioners quietly sold $125,000 in bonds for a new courthouse. Farmers from Finley to Prosser cried foul over up to $40,000 in extra interest—and demanded to know why it had to be secret.
- The Sunday Bond Deal That Split Benton County
Two commissioners secretly arranged a courthouse bond sale, and a courtroom fight over lost premiums exposed how far they went to keep the third commissioner—and the public—in the dark.
- The Lame-Duck Courthouse Deal That a Judge Had to Stop
Benton County's outgoing commissioners rammed through a courthouse contract and a $9,500 payment in their final hours — and the next morning the state Supreme Court's restraining order landed on the table.
- The Prosecutor Picked Prosser: Kennewick Demands His Resignation
Benton County's prosecuting attorney tells the commissioners he is 'prejudiced in favor of Prosser' in the court house bond fight — and the Kennewick editor says a public official has no right to a favorite side.
- The Geopolitics of Women’s Clubs
A Seattle speaker breaks down the 'monopoly' of land and power in Latin America, framing the region's instability as a failure of democratic inheritance.
- Kennewick Mobilizes for World War I
Local women organize a Red Cross auxiliary and plan a patriotic rally to support the nation as conflict looms.
- The War on Rot: Kennewick's Fruit Crisis
As WWI labor shortages threaten the local harvest, an editorial demands federal intervention to preserve the region's fruit.
- The Horse Heaven Irrigation Scheme
A Paterson landowner warns of a massive bond election, citing conflicts of interest and a lack of reliable engineering data.
- Early Whitman County Pioneer Found Dead in Hotel
H. S. Young, a prominent early settler of Whitman County, passes away in a local hotel while seeking relief from illness.
- Kennewick Valley Farmers Move to Buy Their Irrigation System
After decades of friction, local growers organize an irrigation district to take control of their water supply from a private company.
- The Struggle for Water Autonomy
Facing a decaying irrigation system, Kennewick farmers are urged to stop fighting the provider and take control of their own infrastructure.
- Prosser Pump Owners Seek Irrigation District Exclusion
Prosser commissioners rule that landowners cannot dodge the irrigation district while holding onto private water rights.
- The Loyalty Question in Kennewick
A local editor questions the patriotism of German-speaking residents and parochial schools during the height of World War I.
- White Bluffs Farmers Fight Utility 'Fixed Charges'
Local irrigation users push back against the Pacific Power & Light company’s mandatory monthly fees, marking an early chapter in Columbia River valley utility regulation.
- The Yakima Water Wars
A landmark federal court decision secures the future of government irrigation projects across the Yakima Valley.
- Moving Day for an Entire Town
As residents of White Bluffs relocate to a new townsite, historical buildings are being literally pulled across the landscape to find new footing.
- Rattlesnake Hills Oil Race Draws New Leases
Speculators and geologists are betting big on the oil and gas potential of the Rattlesnake Hills, hoping to spark an industrial boom in the desert.
- Tragedy at the Sumner Crossing
A weekend outing turned to mourning after a fatal collision between an automobile and a passenger train.
- Wilson Pushes Eight-Hour Day in Railroad Talks
President Wilson faces a potential national rail strike as executives and labor unions clash over the eight-hour workday and the limits of arbitration.
- The 1916 Election and the Fight for a 'Dry' Washington
As Woodrow Wilson secures a razor-thin victory, White Bluffs voters reject the return of legalized breweries and saloons.
- Tragedy at the Woodsaw
A young child is killed in a ranch accident near Wilson Creek.
- Winter Gale Batters the Coast
A ferocious storm claims the lives of two men, one drowning off Coos Bay and another killed by a falling sign in Hoquiam.
- Work Train Wreck Claims Three Lives Near Majestic
A embankment collapse on the Seattle, Port Angeles & Western railroad extension results in a fatal derailment.