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 |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 468 |
| 1877 | 317 |
| 1878 | 91 |
| 1880 | 97 |
973 stories
- Seattle Husband's Notice Denies Responsibility for Wife's Debts
A curt, Victorian-era public notice posted in a Seattle newspaper marks the formal end of a marriage through a declaration of non-responsibility.
- A Public Shaming in 1876 Seattle
A husband takes to the pages of the local newspaper to publicly disavow his wife, a common, legally sanctioned form of domestic surveillance in the late 19th century.
- An 1875 Public Shaming in Seattle
A husband publishes a newspaper notice to strip his wife of her financial agency after she leaves their home.
- 1876 Notice Cuts Off Wife's Credit After She Leaves
A husband in 1876 takes to the local press to declare his financial independence from his runaway wife.
- The Unilateral Disclaimer of a 19th-Century Marriage
Publicly declaring he would no longer be responsible for his wife's debts, Thomas Lilly placed this notice in the newspaper to formally signal a separation in pioneer Seattle.
- The City's Medical Frontier
Dr. A. Weed advertises a new, state-of-the-art infirmary in Seattle, promising superior care and modern comfort for the sick.
- The Original Seattle Starter Home
A 1876 real estate listing highlights a property near the University, complete with fruit orchards and multiple dwelling houses, showcasing the early layout of the growing city.
- The Oat Innovation of the Duwamish River
A local farmer introduces a high-yield 'agricultural wonder' to the Seattle market, promising to revolutionize feed production on the frontier.
- The Artisan of the Seattle Frontier
Before the city became a tech hub, it was built by tradesmen; M. J. Oldis established a stoneyard at the foot of Second Street to provide the marble and masonry that would give a permanent face to a wood-plank town.
- Who Cares for the Poor in King County?
A call for sealed bids to provide housing and medical care for the county's indigent population in 1877.
- The Price of Poverty in Pioneer Seattle
King County officials put out a call for bids to house and feed the 'indigent poor,' treating human welfare as a municipal contract.
- The Pioneer Dream on the Snoqualmie River
A settler lists his homestead for sale, offering a window into the grueling physical labor and speculative ambition of 1870s life in the Washington Territory.
- The Tragedy of a Snoqualmie Valley Homestead
After his health fails, a local settler offers his hard-won riverfront farm for sale, hoping to escape the damp climate of the Snoqualmie.
- Snoqualmie River Farm With 160 Acres for Sale
A rare 1878 listing offers a glimpse into the grueling reality of clearing timber and building a life on the frontier, where 'weak lungs'—a common death sentence in the era—forced a settler to abandon his homestead.
- A Frontier Life for Sale on the Snoqualmie
A settler lists his 160-acre homestead for sale in 1878, citing a 'weak lungs' diagnosis—a common, tragic reality for those braving the Pacific Northwest wilderness.
- A Frontier Land Deal on the Snoqualmie
A settler lists his 160-acre riverfront homestead for sale, citing his own failing health as the price of carving a life from the Washington wilderness.
- The Unlucky Fisherman of Seattle
A satirical poem from 1878 chronicles an angler who spends a week sitting by a local sawmill, only to become a living piece of landscape architecture for the local insect population.
- A Life on the Sound: The Snoqualmie River Homestead
A settler’s personal plea to sell his 160-acre riverfront dream as he faces the 'inevitable payment' of a life in the rugged Pacific Northwest.
- The Pioneer's Farewell
A Snoqualmie River settler puts his homestead up for sale, citing 'weak lungs' as the reason for leaving his hard-won life behind.
- The Pioneer’s Burden: Selling the Snoqualmie Homestead
In 1878, a settler’s failing health offers a rare glimpse into the back-breaking labor of carving a farm from the wilderness.
- A Frontier Homestead Seeking a New Steward
In 1878, a settler on the Snoqualmie River attempts to pass on his hard-won homestead, citing health struggles as the frontier era shifts toward permanent settlement.
- The Fragile Dream of a Snoqualmie River Homesteader
Forced to sell his 160-acre homestead due to failing health, a pioneer paints a vivid picture of the untamed Snoqualmie Valley in 1878.
- 160-Acre Farm for Sale on the Snoqualmie River
A Snoqualmie homesteader lists his hard-won riverfront acreage, citing 'weak lungs' as the reason for his departure.
- The Midnight Concertina Menace
A fed-up Seattle editor threatens to take a shot at an unwanted suitor serenading a neighbor with an off-key concertina.
- The Widow’s Failed Suit and the Captain’s Steel Eye
A flirtatious widow attempts to trap a wealthy widower in marriage, but his razor-sharp wit and exacting standards send her packing.