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 |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 11 |
| 1877 | 21 |
| 1878 | 17 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 7 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 14 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1887 | 10 |
| 1888 | 28 |
| 1889 | 40 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1891 | 26 |
| 1892 | 26 |
| 1893 | 20 |
| 1894 | 23 |
| 1895 | 27 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 10 |
| 1900 | 3 |
| 1903 | 25 |
| 1904 | 14 |
| 1905 | 4 |
| 1908 | 11 |
| 1909 | 31 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1911 | 3 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1914 | 2 |
| 1915 | 6 |
| 1916 | 10 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1929 | 1 |
444 stories matching modern
- 1888 Seattle Land Sale Included Ten Cottage Prizes
A real estate development in South Seattle offered prospective buyers not just a plot of land, but a literal chance to win a 'Queen Anne' cottage in a public drawing.
- The Iron Road to Tenino
After years of fits and starts, Olympia residents push to finish a vital rail connection, mirroring the modern-day struggle for infrastructure and investment.
- Kennewick’s Infrastructure Bottleneck
A local commentary argues that without modern dock and freight facilities, the city will fail to leverage its position on the Columbia River.
- Seattle Picks Up the Hammer: A Kindergarten, a Church and a Dozen New Homes
With confidence returning after the hard times, builders break ground on the Bailey Gatzert free kindergarten at Twelfth and Norman, finish a German church at Tenth and Stewart, and raise modern homes from Queen Anne to the south side.
- A Grand Hotel for the Growing City
A wealthy citizen petitions the city to vacate public streets for a massive, modern hotel, arguing that Seattle’s burgeoning reputation requires world-class accommodations.
- The Rebuilding of Seattle
A desperate plea to voters in 1889 to elect leaders who could manage the massive, necessary reconstruction of a city decimated by fire.
- The Strategic Brilliance of Chief Seattle
A look back at the early life and diplomatic ascent of the leader who gave Seattle its name, including his tactical victory on the White River.
- The Ghost of Yealer's Hall
Before it was dismantled to make room for modern offices, a historic Seattle landmark served as the city's unofficial beating heart for two decades.
- Mayor Hunt’s Vision for a Growing Walla Walla
Facing a housing and infrastructure boom, the mayor calls for a new city charter and a shift toward modern public works.
- Why Yakima Pastors Need a Break
Local clergymen are burning out from the strain of modern life, and community leaders argue they deserve the same restorative summers as their parishioners.
- The Unsolved Execution at Green River
A lonely homesteader is found dead in the woods, his cabin undisturbed and his secrets kept, sparking a flurry of local suspicion.
- A Grand Dedication at Codding Hall
The entire valley converged on White Bluffs to christen the town’s first modern amusement venue with a night of dancing and patriotic fervor.
- Cusick’s New Water Works
A local entrepreneur brings modern infrastructure to a growing valley town.
- The Patent Steam Dryer at Yesler’s Wharf
A new industrial appliance for families arrives in late 19th-century Seattle, promising to modernize the household chore of food preservation.
- The Mosquito Strike
A local builder halts construction on his new home, citing labor costs against a fierce infestation of pests.
- The Roads of Seattle: A Grumbling Legacy
A wealthy traveler’s sharp assessment of Seattle’s infrastructure in 1880 highlights a civic struggle over street quality that feels strikingly familiar to modern residents.
- The 1888 Land Grab: Seattle’s First Lottery-Style Housing Development
Before modern zoning and master plans, developers in the boom-era Northwest used gimmicks like house-lot raffles to sell undeveloped land on the city’s fringes.
- The Unsung Heart of Frontier Snohomish
Before the rise of modern hospitality, the local hotel functioned as the town’s living room, trading post, and center of civic life.
- City Council Balks at High Cost of Traffic Signals
Tacoma's effort to modernize street safety hits a snag when bid costs far exceed original estimates.
- The Forgotten Pioneer Hospital of Seattle
Before modern medical complexes, the city’s sick and homeless were cared for in a modest, private facility on Commercial Street.
- The Great Washington Road Trip of 1891
Edmond S. Meany traversed nearly every county in the state to prepare for the Chicago World’s Fair, documenting the rapid transformation of the Washington frontier into a modern commercial landscape.
- The Great Sewer Standoff of 1889
For twelve months, Seattle leaders have talked, debated, and planned a modern sewerage system—while the city’s backyards and alleys continue to breed disease.
- Hanford’s New Model School
A growing rural community prepares to christen a modern educational facility built for the future of vocational training.
- The Great Snoqualmie Adventure: A Victorian Weekend Outing
A group of Seattle elites and their spirited guide, 'Mac,' trek into the wilderness to discover if the legends of Snoqualmie Falls and the local fishing are truly as grand as promised.
- Newport's Telephone Revolution: A 600-Line Exchange Built for Growth
A Wisconsin telephone man bought out the old exchange, discarded it, and spent $11,000 to give Newport one of the most modern switchboards in the Northwest.