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 | 1 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 7 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 5 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 16 |
| 1876 | 64 |
| 1877 | 75 |
| 1878 | 96 |
| 1879 | 12 |
| 1880 | 13 |
| 1882 | 8 |
| 1883 | 43 |
| 1884 | 19 |
| 1885 | 44 |
| 1886 | 12 |
| 1887 | 31 |
| 1888 | 80 |
| 1889 | 116 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1891 | 95 |
| 1892 | 132 |
| 1893 | 142 |
| 1894 | 147 |
| 1895 | 178 |
| 1897 | 4 |
| 1898 | 26 |
| 1899 | 42 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 4 |
| 1903 | 78 |
| 1904 | 62 |
| 1905 | 6 |
| 1907 | 4 |
| 1908 | 25 |
| 1909 | 78 |
| 1910 | 15 |
| 1911 | 6 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1914 | 8 |
| 1915 | 16 |
| 1916 | 25 |
| 1917 | 21 |
| 1918 | 2 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 11 |
| 1924 | 9 |
| 1925 | 3 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 3 |
1,812 stories matching offer
- The Last Acreage Near the Creek
An 1877 real estate notice offers fertile bottom land near Snohomish, marking the transition from homesteading to organized development.
- The Coal Mine Hidden in the Cascade Foothills
A rare 1880s investment pitch reveals a vast, forgotten coal tract for sale near Seattle, showcasing the city's early hunger for industrial dominance.
- The Lucky Winner of the Auto
A resident of Wallula discovers he holds the winning ticket for an automobile, but his interest is strictly in the cash.
- The Confidence Men of the Steamer Route
A trio of swindlers fleeing Seattle justice find their match in a wary traveler on the Puget Sound steamship line.
- The Price of the Official Record
Aberdeen's county commissioners sparked controversy by awarding a printing contract to the lowest bidder, despite allegations of falsified circulation figures.
- A Frontier Estate on the Market
Royal Haskell offers his 147-acre Snohomish dairy ranch, mill site, and town house for sale as he prepares to depart for the East.
- A Frontier Exit Strategy
As one pioneer prepares to leave Snohomish for the East, his massive land divestment offers a snapshot of the region's early agricultural and industrial aspirations.
- Three Hours Flagging a Freight Train Past a Broken Rail — The Railroad Offered Him $1.50
With no telegraph in reach, John Ryan stood on a broken Northern Pacific rail for three hours and waved down a rushing freight. The company's thanks came to fifty cents an hour.
- A Ticket Muddle for the Militia
A breakdown in communication leaves local militiamen feeling spurned at the ballpark gates.
- The Last Chance for a Snohomish Homestead
An 1880 land offering near the Snohomish River highlights the foundational scramble for riverfront property and the dream of independent homeownership.
- The Price of a Pioneer Wardrobe
A look at the retail landscape in 1886 Seattle, where department stores were the primary civic meeting grounds and symbols of progress.
- The Great Tacoma Land Sell-Off
Pierce County commissioners auction 1,250 lots to plug budget holes, betting on future speculation.
- Councilman Defends His Record Amidst Public Outcry
James Stewart strikes back at political rivals, refuting corruption accusations and defending his push for transparent city salaries in the face of local scandal.
- Sheriff Offers $250 After Five Escape King County Jail
When five prisoners escaped from the King County jail in 1878, the local sheriff issued a bounty for their capture—a high-stakes display of frontier justice.
- The Battle for the Post Office: Who Owns Seattle's Future?
As federal inspectors hunt for a site for a new U.S. Post Office, local property owners are scrambling to offer their buildings—revealing the intense competition for civic infrastructure and the high value of downtown real estate.
- Working Women Gain YWCA Lunch Room and Classes
The YWCA opens a lunch room at 718 Third Street, offering a gathering space and support services for women workers.
- The Great Snohomish Land Sell-Off of 1860
Royal Haskell, a pioneer settler, prepares to abandon his Snohomish homestead and riverfront mill site, offering a window into the rapid transition of the early frontier economy.
- Disgraced Banker Prepares to Face the Music
After the collapse of the Home Securities Bank in Bellingham, the fugitive president returns to answer for the $300,000 loss.
- Spokane Judge Rejects a Cut-Rate Pauper Burial Contract
A county deal that paid a premium on each pauper's grave is struck down as against public policy—even after another bidder offered to bury the dead for a penny apiece.
- The Exposition Prize Nobody Knew Was a Baby
A one-month-old boy in the care of the Washington Children's Home Society was offered as a prize at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, and no one had claimed him.
- The Price of Small Change on the Rails
A passenger sued the Northern Pacific Railroad for $3,000 after being forcibly ejected for failing to provide exact change for his fare.
- Seattle Filipino Businessmen Launch Scholarships at the University of Washington
For the first time, Filipino students at the University of Washington could compete for prizes funded by local Filipino entrepreneurs.
- The Hornet’s Last Call
In hard times, a U.S. Marshal’s auction of a small steamship offers a glimmer of opportunity for local opportunists.
- The Seattle Nurseries of 1877
A glimpse into the blossoming commercial landscape of early Seattle, when local agriculture and ‘city-hardy’ fruit trees were the foundation of a growing frontier town.
- The Seattle Railroad Dream Gets New Life
After years of uncertainty, local rail boosters secure backing from a California investor, promising to bridge the gap between Seattle and the inland empire.