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
- Fire Levels Kiona Business District
A pre-dawn blaze incinerates a general store, hotel, and post office, leaving sleeping guests with a narrow escape.
- The Fight for the Ballot Box
A legislative attempt to curb 'professional petition pushers' aims to ensure only legal voters influence state law.
- The Governor Who Fought the Lobby
A look back at Henry McBride’s political battles against corrupt railroad interests and secret tax evasion in Washington.
- The Dawn of Cooperative Banking in Benton County
Local farmers organize the first federal loan association to secure $29,000 for regional development.
- The $15 Million Dream That Would Turn Horse Heaven Green
A consulting engineer told the irrigation district it could transform 300,000 dry acres with a vast Klickitat River storage and canal system—if voters backed an enormous bond issue and bought out private water-right claims.
- The Great University Feud: A Lawmaker’s Stand
Gordon C. Moores breaks with local sentiment to support a contentious bill restricting academic duplication between Washington State College and the University of Washington.
- Benton County Calls for Conscription of Labor
A wartime committee resolves to force 'able-bodied' unemployed men into the harvest fields as part of the broader national effort.
- The Fruit Growers' Dilemma
Federal promises to prioritize fruit shipments during WWI don't solve the long-term transportation and infrastructure crisis facing Kennewick's orchardists.
- Strawberry Growers Face Pressure to Unite
A sharp-tongued editorial from the Kennewick Courier-Reporter calls out local fruit growers who refuse to join the cooperative marketing union.
- Kennewick's Waterfront Transitions to Public Ownership
The Kennewick Improvement Company moves to sell its dock assets to the Port of Kennewick, marking a major shift in local infrastructure control.
- The First Call to the Colors
As the United States prepares its first massive mobilization for World War I, local boards receive final instructions for shipping the region's men to training camps.
- The Pharmacist’s Whisky Loophole
A Walla Walla judge rules that a former saloon keeper turned pharmacist can reclaim seized liquor, testing Washington's early liquor restrictions.
- The High Court Rules on 'Dry' Possession
A state supreme court decision clarifies that possessing legally obtained liquor is not a crime, sparking debate over the future of Washington's prohibition laws.
- Washington Coal Miners Threaten Shutdown
District No. 10 of the United Mine Workers of America sets an October 1 deadline for a 5 percent wage increase.
- Tragic Discovery Near Benton City
A teenage boy who went missing just before Christmas is found dead near a cliffside after a hunting accident.
- Washington’s Governor Calls for a 'Bone Dry' State
Governor Lister’s annual message to the legislature includes a sweeping push for absolute prohibition and the overhaul of state government.
- The Tragedy of the Basset Fortune
A wealthy Seattle scion, accused of murdering a bartender, is found legally insane by a commission.
- The Looming Shutdown That Could Paralyze a Nation
With railroad workers and managers deadlocked over the eight-hour day, President Wilson intervenes to prevent a catastrophic strike.
- The Congressman Who Preferred Silence
Incumbent W. E. La Follette justifies his legislative record in a direct address to the Fourth District.
- Wilson's Eight-Hour Day Plan Draws Railroad Pushback
As a national railroad strike looms, President Wilson clashes with industrial magnates over the fundamental rights of labor versus the stability of interstate commerce.
- The Power Rate Fight Hits the Courts
A major utility battles state regulators over irrigation and residential pricing in Eastern Washington.
- The Long Wait for the Priest Rapids Dam
For six years, settlers have waited for the federal government to allow the development of the Priest Rapids power site, hoping it would turn their land into productive farms.
- Everett Voters Oust Leadership
Citizens of Everett successfully recalled their mayor and commissioner for failing to address vice and corporate taxation.
- The Initiative Process Under Pressure
Washington's early experience with the popular initiative leads to court battles as signatures are scrutinized for irregularities.
- Fatal Shooting in Spokane After Domestic Dispute
A confrontation between two men over a woman results in the deaths of a city traffic officer and a porter.