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 | 5 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 5 |
| 1861 | 6 |
| 1862 | 2 |
| 1863 | 3 |
| 1872 | 8 |
| 1876 | 50 |
| 1877 | 32 |
| 1878 | 49 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 11 |
| 1882 | 8 |
| 1883 | 35 |
| 1884 | 13 |
| 1885 | 46 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1888 | 16 |
| 1889 | 51 |
| 1890 | 7 |
| 1891 | 57 |
| 1892 | 86 |
| 1893 | 85 |
| 1894 | 86 |
| 1895 | 118 |
| 1897 | 3 |
| 1898 | 12 |
| 1899 | 25 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 33 |
| 1904 | 28 |
| 1905 | 4 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 19 |
| 1909 | 30 |
| 1910 | 13 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1914 | 5 |
| 1915 | 5 |
| 1916 | 8 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1929 | 2 |
1,008 stories matching contain
- The Cost of Adulterated Milk
A Seattle dealer faces legal consequences for using toxic additives in milk sold to the public.
- The Great Land Sell-Off
The Northern Pacific Railroad begins dumping vast swaths of Washington Territory land onto actual settlers for $2.60 an acre.
- The Pillowcase Vault: A Tacoma Man’s $180 Vanishes Into the Laundry
E.M. Carter hid his savings under a pillow at the Donnelly Hotel, only to leave it behind when he checked out. Thanks to a sharp-eyed police chief and a laundry room search, the money was saved from boiling soapsuds.
- The Steamer That Smuggled Opium in Sauerkraut Barrels
A federal seizure of the Walla Walla reveals a shocking loophole: how Pacific Coast Steamship Company executives claim 'skid grease' shipments were actually opium, and why customs officials looked the other way.
- The Great Log Boom Break at Ebey Slough
A river disaster threatens the livelihoods of local loggers as timber worth thousands breaks free from the Snohomish County river system.
- The Housing Squeeze of 1889
With not a single vacant house in town, developer W.H. Kneeland is rushing to build four new double tenements.
- Seattle’s Million-Dollar Water Gamble
Facing a growing population and urgent infrastructure needs, city leaders propose a massive bond measure to build a municipal water system, aiming to secure control over the city's future.
- The Weather Bureau's Secret Weapon
An Aberdeen inventor was caught with a bizarre, Gattling-gun-style contraption designed to blast the clouds away and control the rain.
- The Struggle for the Kennewick-Richland Marketing Union
Local growers navigate competing marketing strategies to establish a unified system for fruit distribution.
- The New Baptist University Opens Its Doors
After securing land and a $18,000 endowment, the newly constructed Seattle University prepares to receive its first students in the city's southern suburbs.
- Smallpox Outbreak Hits Alder Street
Two women are quarantined and moved to the city pest house as officials scramble to contain a sudden infection in a residential neighborhood.
- The Jeweler Who Was Reported Dead
A Seattle businessman writes to the paper to clarify that he is very much alive, despite a premature obituary.
- The Boom on Front and Columbia
As Seattle grew in the summer of 1878, new tenements began rising on the waterfront, promising modern conveniences in the shadow of the bustling docks.
- The Nameless Grave by the Tulalip
A grim discovery near Marysville reveals the quiet tragedy of a life ending in the river woods.
- Turning Alkali Wasteland into Productive Soil
A Yakima farmer reports a successful experiment in reclaiming unusable alkali land through irrigation and flooding.
- The Great Seattle Opium Bust of 1885
Customs officers seize a boat and $1,200 in illegal opium near Duwamish Head, leaving the smugglers to flee into the night.
- Jewelry Heist in Seattle
While the family was away, burglars pried open a side window to steal diamond pins and rings from a West Roy Street home.
- Sunset Highway Collision
A Spokane dentist crashes into a local carriage, leaving passengers shaken but mostly unhurt.
- The Last Best Bottom Land in King County
A rare real estate opportunity emerges in 1870s Seattle, promising prime soil and orchard potential near the coal fields.
- Tragedy on the Tracks at Spirit Wood
A broken axle on a work train leaves a trail of injured men and death on the Northern Pacific line.
- Fire Scare in Olmsted Addition
A faulty fireplace joint nearly claims a home, but neighbors manage to contain the damage with a garden hose.
- Smallpox Outbreak at the Edge of Town
Health officials identify a smallpox cluster on West Alder Avenue, prompting swift containment measures.
- Guilty Conscience Returns Satchel
A thief in Bellingham experiences a change of heart, leaving a stolen satchel full of cash and checks in the victim's yard.
- The Midnight Opium Bust at the Lincoln House
A routine patrol turns into a high-stakes capture when an officer mistakes suspected smugglers for burglars on a Seattle street corner.
- The Unclaimed 480-Acre Homestead
A prime piece of King County farmland near Lake Washington goes on the market as the region's early real estate rush begins to accelerate.