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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 12 |
| 1861 | 92 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
260 stories
- Territorial Superintendent Critiques School Spending
A report to the Legislature highlights the tension between building a university and funding basic district schools in 1862.
- The Collector of Port Angeles Strikes Back
A scathing defense against accusations of corruption involving the Port Angeles Town Company.
- The Partisan Brawl of 1862
A scathing editorial laments the Olympia legislature's refusal to pass loyalty resolutions, accusing lawmakers of secret disloyalty to the Union cause.
- Stagecoach Plunges into McAllister’s Creek
A bridge collapse during a routine transit near Steilacoom leaves passengers shaken but miraculously uninjured.
- Portland Press Labels Washington Territory Disloyal
A neighboring newspaper warns Olympia that unless the territory proves its Unionist fervor, federal support and favors will remain out of reach.
- The Strategic Move of a Custom House
Congress orders the transfer of the Port of Entry for Puget Sound from Port Townsend to Port Angeles, sparking local political controversy.
- The Business of Mourning in the Civil War
As the casualty lists from the front lines grew, the private industry of embalming rose to meet a grim public need in Olympia and across the nation.
- The Speakerless Session: A Legislative Standoff
After seventeen ballots and tense debates over legal swearing-in procedures, the Territorial House finally elects a Speaker.
- The Bold Bid for a New Pacific Emporium
Speculators and city-builders are betting millions on a new town at the mouth of the Columbia River, hoping to eclipse Portland and Victoria as the premier trading hub of the North.
- The Custom House City That Almost Wasn't
A skeptical observer reports on the slow progress and eccentric realities of the newly established custom house in Port Angeles.
- Volunteers Needed for War Against Snake Indians
Recruiting efforts underway in Olympia for the Oregon Cavalry to secure frontier routes and retaliate against ongoing raids.
- The Loyalty Oath of Lewis County
Local citizens gather to formalize their support for the Union and renounce the 'Knights of the Golden Circle' during the Civil War.
- Olympia Celebrates the Turning Point of the Civil War
Upon receiving news of Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the capital of Washington Territory erupted in days of wild, illuminated celebration.
- Call for Cavalry to Combat Snake Indians
Recruitment begins in Olympia for a regiment tasked with patrolling the frontier against the Snake Indians.
- The Port Townsend Loyalty Meetings
Citizens organize to refute allegations of disloyalty published in regional newspapers.
- Celebrating the Lunar New Year in 1863
Olympia's Chinese residents celebrated the New Year with traditional firecrackers and tea, an occasion marked by a local editor with a mix of curiosity and cultural commentary.
- Political Conflict in an Olympia Classroom
A student is driven from school after being bullied for his vocal support of the Union.
- Olympia's Legislative Logjam
As the eighth session of the Territorial Legislature draws to a close, a cynical editor chronicles the stalling of business, the maneuvering for position, and the technicalities used to avoid public votes.
- The Nez Perce Gold Rush Begins
Vivid reports from Walla Walla suggest a major new gold strike is underway in the Nez Perce country, drawing hundreds of prospectors despite brutal winter conditions.
- Corruption and Starvation in the Indian Service
Local creditors left unpaid while thousands of dollars in federal funds disappear under the Superintendent's watch.
- The Territory's Loyalty Crisis
A bitter partisan divide breaks out in the Legislative Assembly over a set of resolutions affirming support for the Union and the Lincoln administration.
- The Battle for St. James Mission
A legal ruling uncovers the history of the Catholic mission at Vancouver and its tenuous claim to the land during the transition from Hudson's Bay Company rule to U.S. authority.
- The Great Disenfranchisement Fight
Legislators clash over an apportionment bill that threatens to strip the growing eastern population of representation, sparking fears of a political outrage.
- The Violent Expulsion of a Black Resident from Olympia
A white resident publicly recounts his role in forcing a Black man out of town, illustrating the overt racism prevalent in the territory during the Civil War era.
- University of Washington Territory Opens Its Doors in Seattle
Newly established in Seattle, the territory's first institution of higher learning promises a rigorous curriculum and strict moral oversight.