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1. The Mayor's Purge: Tacoma's Public Works Scandal Erupts Into Impeachment

   A sewer-pipe kickback, secret electric-light favors and a board loyal to the old machine: Mayor Orr moves to oust President Demorest.

   Jul 22, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall · Scandal

2. A Judge Refuses to Wait: William Holmes Sentenced to Hang

   Convicted of murdering a fellow Newcastle miner, a Black defendant hears the death sentence after his lawyer's eleventh-hour challenge to the judge's authority is thrown out.

   Jul 26, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerNewcastle, King CountyTrue Crime

3. Two Frozen Men Drowned Within Twenty Feet of a Rescue Line

   The new Ballard schooner Lily and Maud broke up off Deception Island, and the crews of the Utopia and Justine could only watch.

   Jan 14, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerAnacortes, Skagit CountyDisasters

4. The Desperado Who Vanished Into the Brush

   A King County manhunt closes in on escaped murderer Thomas Blanck—until a dark ambush near Black River Junction lets him slip away behind his partner’s raised hands.

   Mar 19, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerBlack River Junction, Tukwila, King CountyTrue Crime

5. A City Turned Out to Bury George Heilbron

   In 1895, Seattle’s governor, mayor, judges, businessmen and laborers filled the First Unitarian Church for the funeral of a civic leader who had helped build the young city.

   Apr 9, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

6. The Populist Jury and the Banker

   A Walla Walla banker is convicted of taking deposits while insolvent, with the defense blaming the jury's 'Populist hatred' for the verdict.

   Jun 9, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerWalla Walla, Walla Walla CountyFollow the Money · City Hall

7. The Senator Who Stood on the Train

   In the dead of night, a torch-lit mob marched through Spokane to greet U.S. Senator Warren G. Squire. But as he stepped onto the platform to deliver his victory speech, the rails betrayed him: the train pulled away before he could finish, leaving only his voice echoing into the dark.

   Jan 26, 1891The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSpokane, Spokane CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

8. The Juror Who Held Out for a Payday

   A Seattle jury stalled a verdict for hours, leading to the dramatic arrest of a man accused of dragging out deliberations just to secure extra witness fees.

   Sep 29, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

9. A Populist Orator, a Sidewalk, and a Penknife

   Tacoma police arrested 68-year-old party leader Dolph Hannah for blocking Pacific Avenue with a campaign speech, then released him on his own recognizance after a scuffle.

   Oct 9, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

10. An 1854 Storehouse, a Saloon, and a Building on Wheels: Seattle’s Old Blocks Give Way

    As Schwabacher Bros. cleared Mill Street for a new brick block, an 1854 storehouse with a saloon past was torn down and another old building was rolled toward the waterfront.

    May 10, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyGone Forever

11. The Great Cascade: A Pilgrimage to the Roar of Snoqualmie Falls

    In July 1877, three travelers walked the rugged trail from Snohomish to Fall City, documenting the lush farms, the hospitality of settlers, and the awe-inspiring power of the falls—a testament to the beauty and isolation of early Washington Territory.

    Jul 21, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

12. A Church Scandal Erupts in a Seattle Libel Trial

    M. H. Nichols stood accused of criminally libeling Presiding Elder T. B. Ford. The defense spent the day trading rumors, old grudges, and one complaint about the prosecutor's booming voice.

    Feb 1, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyScandal

13. The People's Choice: Robert Miller Named Seattle Mayor in Historic Convention

    In a dramatic display of civic unity, the Republican City Committee bypassed traditional balloting to unanimously nominate Robert Miller for mayor, signaling a new era of reform and efficiency in Seattle's leadership.

    Jul 6, 1888The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

14. Down the Dark Drift: A Tour of Seattle’s Coal Mines

    In December 1876, a reporter takes readers on an arduous journey from Lake Union to Newcastle to witness the grueling labor and industrial scale of Puget Sound's most vital industry.

    Dec 2, 1876Puget Sound DispatchSeattle, King CountyWork & Pay

15. The Waterfront Rescue

    When two boys tumbled into the cold waters of the Seattle wharf, the indifference of the crowd stood in sharp contrast to one man's bravery.

    Aug 28, 1876The Daily IntelligencerCommercial Street, Seattle, King CountyStrange But True

16. The Miracle at the Bend

    An engineer’s harrowing account of a toddler playing on the tracks, the desperate silence of the brakes, and an inexplicable survival.

    Sep 4, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerNewcastle, King CountyStrange But True

17. The Price of a Walk Home

    When a Seattle man chased off two strangers bothering his daughter, he found himself in the middle of an expensive legal standoff.

    Oct 17, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerFifth Street, Seattle, King CountyScandal

18. The Unlucky Stable in the Middle of the Street

    A railroad land agent inadvertently builds a brand-new, modern stable smack in the middle of a planned Tacoma thoroughfare.

    Aug 4, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerA Street, Tacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust · Strange But True

19. The Most Glamorous Night in 1892 Seattle

    When the city's high society gathered at Ranke's Hall to watch a 'cake-walk' for the benefit of the African Methodist Episcopal church.

    Apr 5, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

20. A Newspaper Manager, a Black Eye, and a Drawn Revolver

    The business manager of the Seattle Mercury said a reader angry over an article attacked him in his office, then followed him outside—so he pulled a gun.

    Aug 31, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

21. The Night They Slept in Rainier's Ice Caves

    A Seattle climbing party returns from Mount Rainier after a storm-bound night in the summit ice caves—and Tacoma greets them like a circus.

    Jul 25, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerMount Rainier, Pierce CountyStrange But True

22. A Hanging in the Armory: The Unpopular Corporal and the Men Who Stuffed His Uniform

    Company E turned a grudge into theatre — an effigy rigged with an electric-light wire, a pair of odd-coloured glasses and a chalked gravestone — and a military court may follow.

    Aug 13, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyScandal

23. Fire Chief Ousted in Late-Night Commission Coup

    A divided fire commission removes Chief Allen for 'incompetency' and taps ex-Chief Kellogg, prompting a furious protest from the mayor.

    Jun 2, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle City Hall, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall

24. A Moment of Grace on Rockefeller Avenue

    An anonymous act of kindness between strangers serves as a quiet reminder of shared humanity amidst the city's busy street life.

    Jul 21, 1911The Labor JournalRockefeller Avenue, Everett, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

25. A One-Legged Man, a Stolen Boat, and a Cork Leg to the Gut

    A stolen rowboat, a determined owner, and a watchman with a wooden leg turn a quiet evening at the Madison Street slip into a comedy of errors.

    Jul 28, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

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