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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 2 |
| 1858 | 13 |
| 1859 | 25 |
| 1860 | 7 |
| 1861 | 5 |
| 1863 | 2 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 2 |
| 1883 | 4 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 3 |
| 1886 | 2 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1893 | 4 |
| 1894 | 7 |
| 1895 | 3 |
| 1904 | 6 |
| 1909 | 6 |
107 stories
- The Strange Disappearance of George Clark
A local merchant vanishes from Steilacoom, leaving behind $5,000 in debts and unpaid laborers.
- The Governor’s Dilemma: The Hand-Me-Down Prison
When Washington became a state, the federal government tried to offload the McNeil Island Penitentiary and its prisoners to state control—but Governor Elisha Ferry wasn't having it.
- The Crumbling Walls of Steilacoom
A group of builders and taxpayers exposes shoddy construction at the new Territorial Asylum.
- The Unsafe Penitentiary at McNeil Island
Repeated escapes from the government facility lead to complaints that the island's prison buildings are dangerously insecure.
- State Plans Modernization for Steilacoom Asylum
Superintendent Dr. Calhoun proposes the 'cottage plan' to reform the state's mental health care, seeking land and modern equipment.
- The Tragic End of a Respected Citizen
A longtime resident of Montesano and Aberdeen dies by suicide while in an asylum.
- The Lawyer and the Asylum
A young Tacoma attorney faces a harsh public trial of his mental health as his own father testifies against him in court.
- Fourth Suicide Reported at Steilacoom Asylum Since January
A patient at the state hospital takes his own life, marking a string of recent tragedies at the institution.
- The Jury's Boozy Banquet
A Pierce County jury demands a lavish spread of food and a gallon of Scotch while deliberating a verdict.
- A Polite Political Rivalry
Despite the heated competition between the Democratic and People's tickets in Steilacoom, voters maintained a surprising level of civility.
- The Wharf, the Steamer, and the Grudge
A Puget Sound steamer damages Steilacoom's private wharf; the repairs are made, but the landings become a running feud between a steamboat captain and the town.
- Gold Fever Reaches Steilacoom by Schooner
A Saturday arrival brings word of gold at Fort Yale, a turn-by-turn route up the Fraser River, and a miner's warning that provisions are very high.
- The Volunteers Were Paid Twice—Sometimes Thrice—For the Same War
A federal commission auditing the 1855–56 Indian War muster rolls finds men drawing captain's, wagon-master's and private's pay all at once—including a Nisqually ferry keeper who billed the government for the same ten ferrymen he never properly mustered in.
- The Hidden Land Grab
While searching for a college site, a young Edmund Meany uncovers a forgotten piece of state-owned land near Tacoma.
- The Gold Fever Strikes Steilacoom
A local citizen hits a pocket of gold, sparking a frantic rush among town residents.
- A Belligerent Patient at the Steilacoom Asylum
- Cabin Raid Near Steilacoom
Two elderly woodcutters were held at gunpoint in their home, sparking a search by local authorities.
- Tragedy at Steilacoom Hospital
An inquest finds no negligence after a patient at the hospital for the insane takes his own life.
- Three Masked Men Knew Where the Grocer Kept His Money
A Steilacoom storekeeper is robbed of $137 at closing time, and police first look to twenty men just released from McNeil’s Island.
- The Night a Soldier Robbed the Editor's House
While the Puget Sound Herald's proprietor and his wife were away, a soldier slipped into their home—then walked back through the kitchen into the sitting room.
- The Night Seattle Danced Until Two: A Steamer Excursion from Steilacoom
In July 1859, the steamer Julia carried Olympia and Steilacoom society across the Sound to Seattle, where three supper tables and a hall full of dancers made territorial news.
- A Councillor Settles a Political Argument With Clubs, Then Leaves Town
A quarrel over loyalty to the mayor ends in a back-lot club fight, a wounded stranger, and a town official who vanishes from the city.
- The Constable Who Charged for Mileage on Every Duck
A local anecdote about a frontier constable’s creative approach to fee collection.
- The Widow’s Pig-Feeding Innovation
A resourceful widow in Steilacoom finds a way to feed her livestock using garden weeds and a boiler, turning a chore into a sustainable practice.
- The Case of the Missing Boarder
A Steilacoom landlady finds herself in a tangle of confusion when a new arrival is mistaken for a long-lost acquaintance.
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