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Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 2 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 5 |
| 1876 | 30 |
| 1877 | 25 |
| 1878 | 16 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 8 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 30 |
| 1884 | 20 |
| 1885 | 29 |
| 1886 | 21 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1888 | 21 |
| 1889 | 46 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1891 | 41 |
| 1892 | 84 |
| 1893 | 102 |
| 1894 | 71 |
| 1895 | 98 |
| 1897 | 3 |
| 1898 | 18 |
| 1899 | 18 |
| 1900 | 5 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 44 |
| 1904 | 20 |
| 1905 | 3 |
| 1908 | 24 |
| 1909 | 45 |
| 1910 | 10 |
| 1911 | 5 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1914 | 15 |
| 1915 | 9 |
| 1916 | 24 |
| 1917 | 8 |
| 1922 | 2 |
| 1923 | 6 |
| 1924 | 6 |
| 1929 | 1 |
954 stories matching origin
- The Forgotten Origins of the Pacific Mail Line
How an obscure postmaster from Astoria helped launch the steamship route that fed the California Gold Rush.
- The Ghost of a Phone Directory
A look back at White Bluffs' first phone book reveals a rapidly changing town where most original subscribers have vanished.
- The Relocation of the University of Washington
City Hall votes to deed away the original downtown campus to the state, paving the way for the University to move to its modern home.
- A Bucket Brigade Saves the Barn, but the Gleichman Ranch House Is Gone
An early-evening blaze of unknown origin destroyed one of the finest houses on the Highlands Fruit Company ranch — a $4,000 loss that neighbors could only stand and watch.
- The Loophole in the Timber Claims
A federal court ruling clarifies that innocent buyers are protected even when the land they purchased was originally obtained through fraudulent timber claims.
- Seattle’s Sewers Running Into a Budget Deficit
City Engineer R.H. Thomson warns that original appropriations are insufficient to complete critical sewer tunnel work, suggesting design modifications to save money.
- The Loss of a Ballard Home
A fire of unknown origin destroys a residence on Third Avenue, leaving a local family destitute.
- Fire Claims Barn and Livestock in Whitcomb
A blaze of unknown origin at the Washington Farm Lands company barn resulted in the loss of a horse, farm equipment, and a significant amount of alfalfa.
- A Jinxed Steamer Sold at Auction: The Henry Bailey's Bad Luck on the Skagit
After repeated sinkings in the Skagit River and a crew's libel suit, the steamer Henry Bailey went on the auction block at Seattle's Yesler dock—fetching a fraction of its original cost.
- Aberdeen’s Commercial Heart Reduced to Ash
A morning inferno destroys the Commercial block, leaving families homeless and businesses in ruins for the second time in recent memory.
- Twin Towns Devastated by Blazes
Fire-ravaged business districts in Fairfield and Winlock lead to over $60,000 in total losses in a single day.
- The Origin of Lynch Law
A local resident traces his ancestry to the infamous Irish namesake of America's most brutal form of vigilante justice.
- The Stakes That Hold a Town Together
A county surveyor re-marks Newport's original corners on Washington Avenue, untangling property lines and unblocking a hotel project.
- The Continuing Battle Over Marr Road
A contentious road-opening project near Prescott faces new delays as farmers question the validity of the original survey.
- The Great Mountain Name War
Tensions boil over as Tacoma citizens petition to rename the newly designated Mount Rainier reservation to Mount Tacoma, reigniting a 100-year-old geographic debate.
- Debating the Northern Railroad's Route to Puget Sound
As the Northern Pacific Railroad eyed a Portland terminus to maximize its land grants, a fierce editorial demands the company fulfill its promise to connect the Columbia River to Puget Sound or forfeit its territory.
- The Snohomish County Grange Fair Roots for Union Labor
While the Grange fair celebrates the county's harvest, the Women's Label League uses the space to educate visitors on the origins of the union label.
- The Hidden Mortgage Loophole
A new judicial ruling surprises attorneys and lenders by declaring that assigned mortgages do not need to be filed on record.
- The Mystery of the Vanished Donation Claim
Thurston County officials try to purchase a poor farm, only to discover the original land claim may never have been finalized.
- The Settler vs. The Railroad
A federal ruling clears the way for George Pressey to keep his homestead, challenging the Northern Pacific Railroad's land claims.
- The Ghost of Tacoma's Original Downtown
Before the railroad turned Tacoma into a boomtown, the city's future was fought over by competing pioneers and land speculators.
- The City’s Botched Annexation Plan
Seattle’s attempt to annex surrounding lands hits a legal wall after a drafting error excludes parts of Ballard by mistake.
- The Paper That Stood Between Jung Wing and Deportation
Arrested at a Point Roberts cannery for lacking a registration certificate, Jung Wing wins a month to prove he is the man named on a lost Portland certificate—or face deportation.
- The Great Seattle Cable Car Battle
A legal dispute over the City Railway Company's franchise forces a showdown between city officials and the company's ambitious construction plans.
- The $100-Acre Price of Water: Palouse Project Engineers Reveal the True Cost of Irrigation
Local engineers surveying the Washougal Coulee warn that diverting water to arid Benton County lands will cost close to $100 per acre, a staggering sum for early 20th-century farmers.