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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1861 | 92 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
260 stories
- The Bread and Water Diet
An Olympia man decides to test a traveling lecturer's advice on eating, but his wife has the final say.
- The Federal Crackdown on Alcohol Sales to Indigenous Tribes
Superintendent Calvin H. Hale issues a stern warning to traders violating federal statutes against selling liquor on reservations.
- Federal Warning on Liquor and Unlicensed Trade
The Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Washington Territory issues a stern directive against the illicit sale of alcohol and unauthorized trading on reservations.
- Federal Crackdown on Liquor Trade with Tribes
The Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Washington Territory warns traders that liquor trafficking on reservations is a serious federal offense.
- The Unlikely Enforcer of a Party Game
A jealous husband at a frontier social insists his young wife receives equal attention—or else he will settle the matter with his fists.
- Volunteers Sought for Oregon Cavalry
Recruitment call for the First Regiment of Oregon Cavalry to combat Indigenous resistance in the Washington Territory frontier.
- The Mail Carrier’s Drunken Folly
A mail carrier abandons his duties after getting intoxicated, leaving the territory's correspondence scattered in his wake.
- Settling Up for the Indian Wars
A breakdown of the federal government's payment schedule for property and services used during the conflicts of 1855-1856.
- Port Madison Citizens Form Union Guard
In an immediate response to the Governor's call to arms, seventy citizens at Port Madison organize a volunteer militia company to support the Union.
- Enforcing Liquor Laws on the Reservation
General Alvord moves to protect immigrants while curbing the illegal sale of spirits to Indigenous populations.
- The Explorer’s Widow Visits Olympia
Lady Jane Franklin, still searching for answers about her husband's lost Arctic expedition, visits the Washington Territory.
- The Emancipation Proclamation Reaches Washington Territory
A brief editorial note acknowledges that the monumental news of the Emancipation Proclamation was delayed in the local press due to legislative reports.
- A May Day Celebration on Chambers Prairie
While war clouds gathered on the horizon, the citizens of Olympia took to the countryside to celebrate May Day with a traditional picnic, Maypole, and dancing.
- Independence Day in Olympia, 1861
Citizens celebrated the 85th anniversary of American independence with a picnic at a nearby lake, a patriotic reading by Elwood Evans, and a grand ball at Washington Hall.
- The Loss of Captain J.P. Keller
The town of Olympia lowers its flags to honor a fallen military figure.
- Federal Crackdown on Liquor Trafficking in Indian Country
The Superintendent of Indian Affairs warns traders and settlers that selling alcohol to Indigenous people or operating on reservations without a license is a federal crime punishable by seizure and jail.
- Greenbacks Earn Trust in Olympia
Citizens freely exchange Treasury notes for gold at par, signaling local faith in the Union cause.
- The Christmas Poultry Heist
Two local drifters outsmart a tavern keeper in a holiday shooting match scheme.
- The Preacher and the Circassian Slave
A popular clergyman gets more than he bargained for during a trip to a local photography studio.
- Establishing the Penitentiary's Pay
Legislators grapple with the cost of housing inmates at the Steilacoom jail while the permanent penitentiary site remains a mystery.
- An Election Scandal in Mima Prairie
Cyru Vau defends his political integrity against accusations of back-room deals and ballot-box trickery in a letter to the editor.
- An Ill-Fated Fishing Excursion to Brown's Wharf
Local residents charter a boat named 'Union' for a fishing trip, only to end up mud-bound and fishless.
- Major W. W. Miller’s Wartime Appointment
Local Democrat and loyal Union man W. W. Miller secures a commission as Quartermaster in the volunteer service.
- The Territory Opens Its First University Schools
A new collegiate and primary institution launches in Seattle under the leadership of A. S. Mercer.
- Federal Crackdown on Illegal Trade on Reservations
Superintendent of Indian Affairs issues a stern warning that trading, selling, or gifting liquor to Indigenous populations in Washington Territory is a federal crime punishable by imprisonment.