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 | 1 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 17 |
| 1877 | 10 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 5 |
| 1882 | 4 |
| 1883 | 8 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1885 | 12 |
| 1886 | 12 |
| 1887 | 7 |
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 16 |
| 1892 | 43 |
| 1893 | 33 |
| 1894 | 26 |
| 1895 | 38 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 7 |
| 1909 | 17 |
| 1910 | 2 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 5 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1918 | 1 |
339 stories matching float
- The Iron Horse Arrives in Ellensburg
A town celebrates the completion of the railroad track as the local mood turns jubilant.
- A Desperate Rescue in Elliott Bay
A local man spots an overturned canoe in the freezing waters of the bay, pulling two people from a near-death encounter with the winter tide.
- Laborer Charlie Bell Found Dead in Snohomish River
A body discovered near the log boom turns out to be a local worker, marking a grim start to the summer season.
- Discovery of Unidentified Body in the Columbia
A man’s remains, recovered near Coyote Rapids, leave investigators with little evidence beyond dental work to identify him.
- Inheriting a Debt-Ridden City
Mayor Phelps takes office in Seattle, facing a dire financial situation and crumbling infrastructure after years of 'misgovernment.'
- The Ghost of the Shannon
Seattle's waterfront welcomes a legendary British warship that fought in the War of 1812.
- The Day Seattle Stood Still: A Century of Celebration on the Frontier
On July 4, 1897, Governor John H. Temple welcomed thousands of visitors to a parade so massive it stretched half a mile long, featuring floats from local industries and veterans of the Spanish-American War.
- The Snohomish 'War Path'
A rowdy night at the Snohomish riverfront ends in a knife fight between a local drunk and the city marshal.
- The Skagit Valley Underwater
Farmers on the Skagit flats face ruin as dikes break and floodwaters wash away years of work.
- Strawberry Industry at a Crossroads
Local inspectors warn that an invasive root weevil threatens to wipe out Kennewick’s strawberry patches unless growers act immediately.
- The Mystery of the Unknown Man in the Yakima
A body pulled from the river bears no identification, leaving behind only two dimes and a pair of kid gloves.
- The Ghost of the Columbia River
A body discovered near Wenatchee bears the grim marks of an unsolved murder and the symbols of a fraternal order.
- City Council Pushes for Financial Bond
Facing high warrant interest rates, the council seeks to float $30,000 in bonds to stabilize the city's debt.
- The Coal Land Bust and the Stranded Laborers
Speculative collapse leaves workers in 'rookeries' as a corporate empire fractures.
- The Public Shut Out of the 'Floating Palace'
Residents gathered in the rain to welcome a massive new steamer, only to be denied entry by a locked-out policy.
- The Renegade's Return: A Confederate Exile's Seattle Confession
Decades after the Civil War, an expatriate recounts his painful realization of displacement while watching the American flag from across a border.
- One Pump Between the Crew and the Bottom of the Sea
The bark Nona Jitum survived a two-day gale off the Columbia River only by keeping one pump running—then limped into Seattle with a ruined cargo and no insurance.
- Newport Hauls a 142-Foot Cedar Out of the Woods for a Fourth of July Flagpole
A volunteer crew fells, floats and drags a giant cedar to the I.W.N. depot grounds, where it will fly Old Glory over town.
- Tragedy on the Quillayute Coast
The Chilean bark Leanor strikes rocks in a fierce storm, claiming the lives of the captain, his wife, and four crew members.
- The 'Artistic Swindle' of the Shipbuilding Trust
A scathing editorial denounces the financial manipulation behind the Shipbuilding Trust as a 'bunco game' orchestrated by Gilded Age titans.
- Newport Left in the Dark as Town Council and Electric Company Deadlock
A standoff between the town council and Northern Electric leaves Newport without streetlights, prompting fears of crime and a possible new franchise.
- City Council Passes 1893 Tax Levy Amid Financial Strain
Seattle's municipal government sets the millage rate while reporting over $2.5 million in bonded debt.
- Court Overturns Conviction in Saloon Killing
The Washington Supreme Court grants a new trial to James Murphy, who murdered a bartender for refusing to serve him liquor.
- A Carriage Disaster on the Yakima River
A satirical, vivid account of a carriage accident involving local power brokers, detailing a chaotic plunge into the river and the comical loss of a macintosh.
- The Price of a Boom-Time Hangover
Aberdeen’s municipal coffers were drained by the reckless speculation of 1890, leaving the city scrambling to consolidate massive debt.