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 |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1864 | 30 |
| 1865 | 9 |
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 6 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1878 | 5 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 5 |
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1891 | 3 |
| 1892 | 10 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1894 | 11 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 6 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1903 | 730 |
| 1904 | 67 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 3 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 6 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
1,003 stories
- The Great Housing Squeeze: Seattle's Winter Crisis of 1876
As the territory prepares for winter, a correspondent reports that only two comfortable dwellings remain vacant in Walla Walla, highlighting the acute housing shortages gripping Washington communities.
- The Man Who Bought the Territory: Miles C. Moore’s Rise to Governor
From a Walla Walla bookstore clerk to the head of Washington Territory, Miles C. Moore’s appointment signals a shift in power from Seattle’s elite to Eastern Washington’s business barons.
- Customs Raid Finds Illicit Opium in Walla Walla
Law enforcement seized $1,000 worth of smuggled opium from Chinese business houses in a coordinated sting operation.
- The Political Spoils of a Walla Walla Clerk
After relocating his entire life and family for a government job, a deputy clerk is unceremoniously fired—exposing the bitter, transactional nature of territorial patronage.
- The Fallout of a Family Exile
A young woman fleeing the shame of an unplanned pregnancy from Walla Walla to Seattle turns her own uncle in to federal authorities, sparking a legal drama over accusations of 'obscene' letters.
- The Looming Crisis at the State Penitentiary
Washington's state prison faces overcrowding and inadequate facilities as the inmate population outpaces projections, forcing guards to rent rooms in town.
- Prison Scandal Rocks Penitentiary Board
A Walla Walla official is removed from his post for illegally funneling state-made grain sacks to commercial dealers instead of local farmers.
- The Violent End of a Seattle Jailbreaker
A notorious criminal known for his daring escapes from the Seattle city jail was shot dead while attempting a breakout at the state penitentiary.
- Henry Villard Promises Rail Expansion in the Palouse
Railroad tycoon Henry Villard visits Walla Walla, pledging to bridge the Cascades and extend lines to keep the regional economy moving.
- The Railway King Comes to Walla Walla
Henry Villard, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, arrives in Walla Walla to a hero’s welcome and demands for new branch lines.
- Walla Walla’s 1884 Sales Pitch: From a Tent Store to a ‘Metropolitan’ City
A reprinted commercial sketch boasts of wheat, railroads, gasworks and thousands of souls — and lets slip the town’s whole origin story, from a tent on Mill Creek to the great fire of 1866.
- The Ghost of the River
A tragic mix-up in identity leaves a drowned man's body buried in a shallow grave until friends intervene.
- The Empire Builder’s Pacific Dream
Railroad tycoon James J. Hill argues that the future of Northwest agriculture depends not on Europe, but on aggressively securing trade routes to China.
- A Deadly Dispute Over the Price of a Calf
A multi-year feud in Walla Walla culminates in a brutal stabbing over a livestock transaction.
- Road Supervisor Jailed for Embezzlement
A local official faces charges after allegedly pocketing road tax cash and failing to perform the required public works.
- City Saloons Flouting Curfew and Liquor Laws
Walla Walla parents report minors drinking at local bars, raising concerns about the city's 'wide-open' policy.
- A Horse Driven to Exhaustion
A young man is fined after driving a stable horse twenty-five miles in extreme heat for a joyride.
- The Bank and the High School Tax Feud
A local bank refuses to pay school taxes, sparking a fierce debate over civic duty and the funding of Walla Walla’s newest school.
- Convicts to Pave the Way?
Walla Walla's Commercial Club debates a new state law to employ penitentiary inmates in road construction.
- Drought Threatens Walla Walla's Wheat Harvest
Farmers and weather observers warn that a record-breaking dry spell is devastating crops in the Walla Walla Valley and Garfield County.
- The Day Gambling Died in Walla Walla
New state legislation turns the tide on local gaming as businesses scramble to pull slot machines and shut down tables.
- The Rain That Saved the Harvest
A week of torrid heat and nervous anticipation ends as drenching rains sweep across the Inland Empire, securing the wheat crop.
- Smallpox Returns to Walla Walla
City and county officials establish a new health board as cases emerge at the local pest house.
- Minor League Baseball Team Folds Mid-Season
The Dayton baseball team disbands after failing to meet the salary limit, leaving local fans and the Inland League in flux.
- An Armed Mistake on the Road to Walla Walla
Two young boys herding cattle from Starbuck were held at gunpoint by deputies who suspected them of being rustlers.
Download all 1,003 as a spreadsheet (CSV) · Show them on the map