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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 11 |
| 1861 | 57 |
| 1862 | 65 |
| 1863 | 46 |
179 stories
- The Republican Territorial Convention Meets in Olympia
With the shadow of the Civil War looming, Washington Territory Republicans gathered at the Capitol to pledge support for the Union and nominate a delegate to Congress.
- The Political Rumble at the Capitol
Candidates for Congress square off in Olympia as the territory prepares for a heated election season.
- The Territorial Legislature’s Failed Loyalty Pledge
A political standoff in the Washington Territorial Legislature over Union support reveals the region's deep sectional divisions during the Civil War.
- The Union Ticket: Thurston County's 1862 Political Campaign
As the Civil War rages, local political factions organize mass meetings to nominate candidates and define their loyalties in Olympia.
- Olympia Organizes Aid for Civil War Wounded
Prominent citizens gather to create a territorial support network for Union soldiers.
- The Territorial Legislature Deadlocked
In early December 1862, Olympia's legislative session began in disarray, with power struggles over credentials and procedural maneuvering stalling the body's organization.
- The 1863 Legislative Session Wraps Up
A look back at the territorial assembly's busy session, featuring a major overhaul of the legal code, debates over the Idaho statehood movement, and the struggles of members waiting on federal pay.
- Call for Cavalry to Protect the Frontier
Oregon and Washington territory officials seek recruits for an expedition against the Snake Indians.
- The Copperhead Election: A Territory Divided
Following a contentious election, the Washington Standard dissects the narrow defeat of the Union candidate and accuses the opposition of disloyalty.
- Volunteers Needed for the Snake Indian Campaign
A call for enlistment in the Oregon Cavalry to combat indigenous resistance on the frontiers of Washington Territory.
- Olympia Citizens Organize to Explore Nisqually Pass
A public meeting in Olympia moves to fund and equip an expedition to locate a viable pack trail through the mountains to Fort Simcoe.
- The Demise of the Vancouver Telegraph
A bitter editorial feud ends with the folding of a rival newspaper, revealing the fierce competition between Olympia and Vancouver for regional influence.
- A Monster in the Mud
An unusually large sulphur bottom whale ends up stranded on the Olympia mudflats.
- A Frontier Feud: The Scathing Attack on Byon F. Kendall
A brutal public broadside against political rival Byon F. Kendall highlights the vitriolic nature of local 1860s journalism.
- The Legacy of Isaac Stevens
A profile of Washington Territory's first governor and Civil War hero, tracing his path from West Point to the battlefields of Virginia.
- The Heated Debate Over 'Shaving' Greenbacks
Washington Territorial legislators clashed over a bill aimed at criminalizing the devaluation of federal currency, pitting economic protectionism against constitutional theory.
- The First Funeral at the New Presbyterian Church
Reverend Richard J. Evans, who labored to build the new church in Olympia, passed away before he could occupy its pulpit.
- The Battle of the Mail Carriers
A postal contractor hits back at critics who accused him of corruption and canoe-based mail delivery in the rough early days of the territory's infrastructure.
- Four Subscriptions Canceled: Tumwater Punishes the Editor for Printing Olympia's County-Seat Pitch
The Standard ran the Olympia town trustees' case for moving the county seat — and four Tumwater readers struck back the only way they could: 'Stop my paper!' The editor is not gracious about it.
- The Day the Legislature Tried to Unmake a Marriage
In December 1860, Washington Territorial lawmakers debated a private bill to dissolve the bonds of matrimony between Onon Connolly and Sarah Connolly, restoring her maiden name.
- The Olympia Benefit Ball for the Union
Citizens rally to raise funds for sick and disabled soldiers, overcoming rumors and divisive influence.
- A Sidewalk Skirmish in Olympia
A citizen sets the record straight after being misidentified in a newspaper report about a public altercation with a deputy sheriff.
- Lincoln Orders Sale of Washington Public Lands
A sweeping federal proclamation sets the stage for a massive auction of land parcels across the Washington Territory, excluding donation claims and mineral tracts.
- Volunteers Called to Guard the Frontier
The War Department authorizes a new regiment of mounted volunteers to secure the Washington and Oregon territories as the Civil War escalates.
- The Call for Cavalry
Military authorities look to volunteers to secure the frontier as federal forces withdraw from the Pacific Northwest.