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 | 2 |
| 1860 | 3 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 4 |
| 1863 | 2 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 20 |
| 1877 | 19 |
| 1878 | 26 |
| 1880 | 4 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 21 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1885 | 10 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1887 | 10 |
| 1888 | 12 |
| 1889 | 30 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 24 |
| 1892 | 37 |
| 1893 | 33 |
| 1894 | 62 |
| 1895 | 99 |
| 1898 | 5 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 21 |
| 1904 | 20 |
| 1905 | 2 |
| 1908 | 3 |
| 1909 | 15 |
| 1910 | 7 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1914 | 3 |
| 1915 | 5 |
| 1916 | 8 |
| 1917 | 2 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1924 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1928 | 1 |
548 stories matching satisfi
- The Failed Promise of 'Clean' Streets
Critics decry the Democratic administration's failure to suppress gambling and vice, alleging that prostitution has simply migrated from 'Whitechapel' to transit corridors.
- Olympia City Council Rejects New Sewer System
City officials pivot away from the 'Camp' or 'Warring' system after consulting with sanitary engineers, opting instead to hire local expertise.
- Fire Sale at the Arlington Hotel
Creditors descend on the Arlington as the hotel's furniture and equipment are auctioned off to settle debts.
- The Blueprint for a Growing City
Newly proposed amendments to the Seattle city charter reveal the administrative scaffolding behind the city's 1883 expansion, including fire department mandates and tax enforcement.
- The Price of Panic in 1888 Seattle
When an unfounded rumor of a merchant’s bankruptcy swept through the city, the local business community banded together to stave off a catastrophic bank run.
- A Seattle Pioneer Returns to the Frontier
After surviving a family tragedy on Whidbey Island, a pioneer returns to the West to rebuild his life.
- The Town of Gilman Demands its Share
When the town of Gilman incorporated, it stopped being under county jurisdiction—but now they want the county to hand over the saloon license fees collected before the split.
- The Political Fight for State Institutions
North Yakima's newspaper distances itself from local representative Cleman's legislative maneuvers while holding out for the capital.
- The Great Seattle Tax Auction of 1885
Before Seattle was a tech hub, it was a frontier town defined by rapid land speculation and the inevitable, painful process of tax foreclosures on the city's building blocks.
- The Logger's Protective Association
After enduring wage cuts and rising costs, Washington's loggers begin organizing to push back against a legislature that seems determined to strip away their protections.
- A Tragic End in the Wire
A well-known Seattle man is found dead in a field near the Orphan's Home, his body tangled in barbed wire.
- The Great Firemen's Brawl of 1889
A regional firefighting tournament in Tacoma dissolved into a chaotic dispute over prize money, accused dictators, and local pride, forcing Seattle firemen to offer a do-over on home turf.
- Three Barks, a Yesler Mortgage, and a Race to the Courthouse Door
A federal judge ordered the Tidal Wave, Northwest and Vidette sold to satisfy a mortgage from Henry Yesler's estate. Hours later, unpaid suppliers slapped liens on the hulls — raising a question in admiralty law no court here had faced.
- The War Department’s Secret List: Why Washington Was Ignored
A Montana Senator reveals that federal supply contracts are being diverted from Seattle to San Francisco due to 'unsatisfactory' local facilities and inflated railroad rates.
- The Sloop-Raiding ‘Pirates’ of Puget Sound
For years a crew of thieves raided ranches and wharves around the Sound, escaping by water—and alibiing one another in court. Now their reputed leader faces a second trial.
- The Price of Frontier Survival: A Seattle Sheriff's Sale
A 1878 legal notice reveals a bleak snapshot of life in early Seattle, where debt-ridden families faced the auction block under the gaze of a booming young city.
- The Strange Inheritance of Nellie Holgate
Following the mysterious disappearance of Nellie Holgate in Lake Washington, the primary beneficiary of her estate publicly renounces her inheritance, fueling local speculation.
- The High License Battle
As Seattle debates the future of the liquor trade, the city's editorial voice warns that failing to support 'high license' regulation will only invite full prohibition.
- The Political Deal to Split the State School
Legislative delegates from Yakima and Spokane counties are reportedly plotting to divide the State School of Science, aiming to force its relocation to Whitman County to satisfy local interests.
- The Unlucky Fate of the Steamer City of Ellensburg
Creditors protest a forced sale of a river steamer, claiming the vessel was sold for a pittance in a 'farce' of an auction.
- The Great Wrestling Challenge: A European Strongman Comes to Washington Territory
Peter Schwamcher issues an open challenge for a three-day wrestling match in Seattle, offering $500 prize money and claiming he will remain until the championship is found at the Arbois Hotel.
- Musicians Stranded in Seattle After Labor Dispute
Two orchestra members of the Shay Opera Company find themselves out of work and funds after requesting their pay.
- The Failed Cooperative Mill
A shingle mill in Anacortes, once run as a cooperative, falls into chaos when workers strike over the firing of a colleague.
- Olympia Insists on a Harbor Line Big Enough for Its Future
After a correspondent misreports local opinion, Olympians say they back Capt. Symons' harbor plan—but want the state to extend a broad waterway all the way to Fourth Street.
- The Herald’s Legal Victory
A landmark criminal libel trial in Aberdeen concludes with an acquittal, sparking a debate over the role of the press in public accountability.