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.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 7 |
| 1858 | 4 |
| 1859 | 6 |
| 1860 | 6 |
| 1861 | 11 |
| 1862 | 6 |
| 1863 | 4 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1865 | 2 |
| 1871 | 2 |
| 1872 | 17 |
| 1876 | 153 |
| 1877 | 135 |
| 1878 | 70 |
| 1879 | 9 |
| 1880 | 24 |
| 1882 | 33 |
| 1883 | 186 |
| 1884 | 99 |
| 1885 | 110 |
| 1886 | 59 |
| 1887 | 63 |
| 1888 | 93 |
| 1889 | 319 |
| 1890 | 55 |
| 1891 | 199 |
| 1892 | 361 |
| 1893 | 330 |
| 1894 | 241 |
| 1895 | 340 |
| 1897 | 7 |
| 1898 | 27 |
| 1899 | 54 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1902 | 9 |
| 1903 | 148 |
| 1904 | 122 |
| 1905 | 23 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1908 | 79 |
| 1909 | 224 |
| 1910 | 50 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1912 | 7 |
| 1914 | 23 |
| 1915 | 40 |
| 1916 | 67 |
| 1917 | 50 |
| 1918 | 2 |
| 1923 | 24 |
| 1924 | 18 |
| 1925 | 7 |
| 1928 | 2 |
| 1929 | 2 |
3,954 stories matching build
- The Great Seattle Boom: $2 Million in Brick and Mortar
Architects and owners promise a wave of substantial construction that will transform Second Street into the city's new business heart, leaving Front Street behind.
- Fire Breaks Out in Whitechapel District
A fire in a building occupied by Japanese women in Seattle's Whitechapel district causes a panic, but is quickly extinguished.
- The Pork Barrel Standoff
Washington State’s Representative John L. Wilson stops a Texas infrastructure bill until the needs of the Northwest are recognized.
- The Great School Door Standoff
Tacoma’s Building Inspector and the Board of Education clash over fire safety ordinances and classroom door configurations.
- Puyallup's Bid to Steal the State Capitol From Olympia
A Pierce County representative introduced a bill to repeal the $500,000 capitol-building appropriation and cancel the Olympia basement contract—reportedly to keep Puyallup's own hopes alive.
- A High-Wire Act Above Fourth Street
A building mover narrowly escapes death after being swept off a roof and left dangling from telegraph wires.
- Herman Chapin's $300,000 Bet on Seattle
Despite a period of financial stringency, a local bank president secures Boston capital to build a massive, iron-and-glass department store complex on Second Avenue.
- Expansion of the Puyallup Indian School
The federal government announces plans for new facilities at the Puyallup Indian School to increase educational capacity.
- A Holiday Gift for a Bank Building Worker
Tenants of the Seattle National Bank building honor their elevator operator for his steadfast service.
- A Sudden Death at the Masonic Temple
A janitor who kept the furnaces running at the Second and Pike building dies quietly while at his post.
- Midnight Blaze Levels Kennewick Meat Market
A stubborn fire likely sparked by faulty wiring or equipment ruins the local butcher shop, leaving the owner to contemplate rebuilding.
- The Building That Fell Down
Owners and contractors are locked in a court battle over the construction of a brick building at Third and Washington that collapsed during its assembly.
- The City That Refused to Stay Burnt
After the Great Spokane Fire of 1889, civic leaders rejected the urge to build cheaply, choosing instead to construct a permanent, iron-and-stone metropolis fueled by the river's immense power.
- The Price of Progress: Aberdeen’s 1890 Infrastructure Bond
Facing a massive backlog of bridge repairs and road construction, Chehalis County commissioners move to tax residents for a sweeping modernization plan.
- Condemned Shacks Near Downtown Face Demolition
Building inspector condemns wooden structures at a prime downtown intersection, forcing a transition to modern brick development.
- The Courthouse That Never Was
A desperate plea to build a modest county seat on a 'high ridge' between Seattle and Belltown before the city outgrows its footprint.
- Yesler's Big Block Forces Business Shuffle
As Henry Yesler prepares to build a new four-story brick landmark, local merchants scramble for temporary quarters.
- Will Aberdeen Get a Grand Hotel or Just More Offices?
Prominent developers W. P. Book and Samuel Benn are ready to construct a massive, fireproof building on Heron Street, but the ultimate purpose of the structure remains a local question.
- The Snowfall That Nearly Wiped Out Spokane Falls
Heavy winter snows caused the near-collapse of two public buildings in Washington Territory, sparking a debate over the need for stricter building oversight in a growing Seattle.
- The Night the 'Mad House' Burned Down
A suspicious blaze destroys a landmark building in Seattle, forcing local citizens to scramble to save the nearby gas works from the encroaching flames.
- Labor Council Boycotts New Elks Building
Building trades council declares new Elks lodge unfair and warns union workers to stay off the job.
- The Struggle to Build the Territorial Penitentiary
A desperate plea from the prison board for funding to build essential living quarters, highlighting the dire state of the Washington Territorial Penitentiary in 1887.
- International Fisheries Expands Waterfront Operations
Rapid growth of the halibut trade drives the company to move its packing facility to a larger building near the Eleventh Street Bridge.
- Guy Phinney's Brick Building Rises First After Seattle Fire
How Seattle’s downtown business district—scorched by the Great Fire—was transformed by private investment into a modern, fireproof city in just over a year.
- The Boomtown Spirit of Cusick
A local Commercial Club meeting highlights a flurry of new construction and business expansion, fueling a rivalry with the neighboring townsite of Usk.