Research the archive
Narrow 25,724 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 | 5 |
| 1859 | 4 |
| 1860 | 3 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 2 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 58 |
| 1877 | 50 |
| 1878 | 18 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 6 |
| 1882 | 11 |
| 1883 | 90 |
| 1884 | 38 |
| 1885 | 34 |
| 1886 | 28 |
| 1887 | 34 |
| 1888 | 22 |
| 1889 | 117 |
| 1890 | 17 |
| 1891 | 86 |
| 1892 | 185 |
| 1893 | 123 |
| 1894 | 101 |
| 1895 | 139 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1899 | 28 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1903 | 64 |
| 1904 | 41 |
| 1905 | 12 |
| 1907 | 2 |
| 1908 | 58 |
| 1909 | 92 |
| 1910 | 10 |
| 1911 | 3 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1914 | 15 |
| 1915 | 14 |
| 1916 | 26 |
| 1917 | 17 |
| 1918 | 2 |
| 1923 | 11 |
| 1924 | 10 |
| 1925 | 2 |
1,600 stories matching construct
- Farmers Plan Their Own Interurban Railroad
Weary of broken promises from outside promoters, Nooksack Valley farmers move to build and own their own rail line.
- The 'Ram's Horn' Tracks Cleared for Construction
A Supreme Court ruling clears the way for the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad to proceed with construction, settling a long-standing legal battle over land access.
- The Great Opera House Escape
A suspected swindler slips his guard and vanishes from a Seattle building mid-construction.
- Fighting the Waterfront Trestle
Property owners demand a street crossing, claiming railroad infrastructure is strangling access to the tide flats.
- Fairhaven’s Race for Clean Water
Construction begins on the city's new water main to Lake Padden as the race to build infrastructure across the 'Bay Cities' intensifies.
- Seven Votes Decide an Office: The Ballots Are 'Indescribable'
A contested Seattle election heads to the state supreme court, where a recount has whittled a 78-vote plurality down to seven — and counsel warns that some ballots defy description.
- The Building That Fell Down
Owners and contractors are locked in a court battle over the construction of a brick building at Third and Washington that collapsed during its assembly.
- Plumbers Strike and Demand Wage Hike
Spokane master plumbers face a complete work stoppage as journeymen strike for better pay, sparking fears of a broader construction crisis.
- The Tragedy at the Lunch Shed
A rock from a construction blast kills a worker on his midday break, leading to a lawsuit against the contractor.
- Aberdeen’s Shipbuilding Boom
The S. E. Slade Lumber Company announces plans to build two new vessels in Aberdeen, signaling a surge in local industry.
- Shipbuilding Capital of the South
A new stern-wheeler hits the stocks in Aberdeen as the city solidifies its status as a maritime manufacturing hub.
- Federal Funds Flow into Washington Backcountry
New highway construction projects in Whatcom and King counties aim to bridge the gap between wilderness and commercial accessibility.
- The Fire Safety Debate of 1904
Tacoma building owners argue that 'fireproof' construction renders fire escapes redundant, but city officials stand their ground.
- A Call for a New Asylum
Legislative committee finds territorial asylum buildings beyond repair, recommending a new site in Eastern Washington.
- The Taxpayer Who Sued to Stop Ballard’s Water Deal
A $1,800 purchase of pipe and tools from a private water company sparked a court fight over public money and municipal ownership in Ballard.
- Sewer Graft Scandal Hits Ballard
A contractor linked to Walla Walla infrastructure is accused of corrupting a massive sewer project in Ballard.
- The Yesler Estate Land Dispute
The Supreme Court rejects a claim for ten acres of land promised as a bonus for building a cable car line.
- Newport Bets $12,000 on a Concrete Hotel — and a Street of New Homes
A three-story, thirty-room hotel at Washington and Second leads a summer building rush that will remake several Newport blocks.
- City Hall's Incompetent Board of Works
A critical letter exposes the lack of qualifications among the men overseeing Seattle's infrastructure, from water pipes to sewer systems.
- The City Charter Crisis
Mayor R.K. Nichols warns that the city's legal authority has been gutted by the new state constitution.
- The Fight for Safer Streets
Walla Walla's decaying wooden sidewalks are proving hazardous, prompting a push for modern cement alternatives.
- Blueslide Breakthrough: The Tunnel That Pushed the Idaho & Washington Northern Through
After months of hand drilling, a crew of more than 500 blows a heading through the Blueslide tunnel — while the railroad’s general manager limps on crutches after a freak construction accident.
- Terrorized by Construction Crews
A settler near the Cedar River reports harassment and danger from railroad workers blasting through the woods.
- The Perils of Early Seattle Construction
A carpenter is struck unconscious by a falling board at a building site, highlighting the chaotic and unregulated nature of the city's 1889 post-fire construction boom.
- The Great Northern Wins Right of Way
A court ruling clears the tracks for the Great Northern Railway to proceed with construction, defying attempts to freeze development.