Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 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.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 799 |
| 1884 | 455 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
3,198 stories
- The Waterfront Stabbing
A discharged sailor commits a gruesome, unprovoked assault on a steward in a Seattle saloon, leaving the victim’s life hanging in the balance.
- The Great Fourth of July Fireman’s Brawl
A celebratory fire competition in Tacoma turned sour as fire companies from across Washington Territory clashed over disputed rules and near-riotous crowds.
- The Sheriff vs. The Election Posters
A Seattle lawman is arrested after he goes on a rampage tearing down political advertisements, leading to a physical showdown with a local citizen.
- The Depot Brawl: A Railway Scuffle Over Booze and Conduct
A barkeeper’s attempt to 'work' a drunken traveler off on a train descends into a violent, chaotic melee involving railroad men, heavy boots, and a crowd expecting a murder.
- A Boy’s Quick Thinking Saves the May Creek Trestle
When a youth discovered a blaze on a high railway bridge, his rapid response prevented a catastrophe for the incoming train.
- The Hop Harvest: A Seasonal Tug-of-War
As hop growers in the Puyallup and White River valleys race to harvest before the rains, a debate stirs over the reliance on Indigenous and migrant labor versus the desire for white, school-aged workers.
- The Building Boom vs. The Tenant's Plight
Seattle pioneer H. L. Yesler contemplates clearing his property on Mill Street, leaving local business owners scrambling for space as he pivots to ambitious new construction.
- The Health Officer's Boycott
A shipping standoff at the Seattle wharf reveals the messy intersection of port labor, professional fees, and city bureaucracy.
- The Fishermen’s Union Organizing Meeting
A representative from the Columbia River Protective Union arrives in Seattle to organize local fishermen, leading to a clash over labor inclusion and the definition of a 'good man.'
- The Annual Migration to the Seattle Waterfront
As the hop-picking season nears, hundreds of Indigenous families from as far north as Sitka gather on the tide flats below the mills, turning the city's shore into a bustling hub of commerce and seasonal labor.
- The Unintended Migrant: An International Diplomatic Headache
When a destitute man seeking work was deported from Washington back to British Columbia, he sparked a minor diplomatic crisis that tested the porous borders of the Pacific Northwest.
- The Strange Disappearance of Ollie Young’s Reputation
A man from the Puyallup Valley confronts the Chief of Police to clear a young woman's name after scandal-filled letters appear in a Tacoma newspaper.
- Seattle and Port Townsend Vie for Methodist University
Before the University of Puget Sound was established, Seattle’s founding elites fought a bitter, public battle over which developer’s land would house the city’s next great institution.
- The Great 'Chautauqua' Debate
After weeks of indecision, a committee chooses Point Defiance for a massive cultural assembly site, highlighting the rapid civic growth and ambition of the Puget Sound region.
- Seattle’s Early Infrastructure Struggles: A City Thirsty for Reliability
A pipe burst in the heart of Seattle left residents without water, forcing them to queue at public wells as the growing city learned the hard way about the vulnerabilities of its infrastructure.
- A Hero at the Waterfront
An elderly boatswain risks his life in the dark to pull a man from the frigid waters of Elliott Bay.
- The City Hall Scandal: A Contractual Nightmare in 1887 Seattle
City council members and contractors clash over botched public works, leaving taxpayers and laborers holding the bag in a classic tale of civic mismanagement.
- The Collapse of a Workingman's Dream
A bold attempt at worker-owned enterprise in Tacoma ends in financial failure and legal recriminations.
- The Betrayal of a 'Friend' in Tacoma
A classic story of a land deal gone wrong, where a trusted drinking buddy pulled the rug out from under an investor’s feet.
- The Juror Who Held Out for a Payday
A Seattle jury stalled a verdict for hours, leading to the dramatic arrest of a man accused of dragging out deliberations just to secure extra witness fees.
- The Price of a Day's Pay: Seattle’s 1887 Labor Brokers
A deep dive into the predatory practices of late 19th-century employment agencies that thrived on the desperation of transient laborers.
- The Tragedy of a Deserted Mother on the Seattle Waterfront
A young woman, abandoned by an abusive husband, finds herself destitute and desperate for passage back home to Portland.
- Peter Kirk's Iron Works Signal Seattle's Manufacturing Ambitions
A bold call in 1887 to turn Seattle into a premier manufacturing powerhouse by offering free land and tax incentives to incoming factories.
- The Great Escape at the Seattle Dock
A man adjudged to be insane mounts a desperate, final bid for freedom as he is being escorted to the state asylum.
- The Jailbreak at Fort Simcoe
A notorious murderer escapes custody in Yakima, leaving the community on edge.