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 | 2 |
| 1883 | 10 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 12 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1887 | 19 |
54 stories matching convers
- The Unchecked Violence on Front Street
A young boy is victimized by an intoxicated man in broad daylight, sparking community outrage and frustration over the lack of a legal remedy for such a crime.
- Scandal at the Capital
A public altercation between a visiting 'Dean' and Olympia's Mayor leads to calls for her departure.
- The Unstoppable 'Brass and Cheek' of Early Seattle
A Tacoma newspaper begrudgingly acknowledges the aggressive boosterism driving Seattle’s rapid growth.
- The Northern Pacific's Elusive Cascade Branch
A skeptical look at how the Northern Pacific Railroad tried to rebrand its lines to secure land grants in King County.
- The Narrow Escape of 'Little Kate'
A harrowing account of a young woman's flight from a brutal employer in the Washington Territory, highlighting the vulnerability of domestic laborers.
- Explosives Blast Seattle's Waterways Clear
A dangerous snag, responsible for over $4,000 in damages to loggers, is finally demolished above the old Packard wharf.
- The Shadow Over the Graders' Camp
Two workers in the Cascade wilderness are shot in cold blood by a pair of escaped convicts, fueling local fear and resentment.
- An Old Pioneer's Promise to a Dying Friend
A rare trip from Olympia to Seattle reveals the enduring bonds of friendship among the pioneers who built the territory.
- The Jailer and the Sheriff’s Keys
A power struggle inside the King County jail ends in a public firing after a suspicious security lapse involving lost keys and unauthorized visitors.
- The Future of Seattle
Prominent local businessman John Leary returns from New York with word that the city is set to become the terminal of two major railroads.
- The Price of a Secret
A small-town tragedy of manners reveals how gossip and moral judgment destroyed one man's attempt to reintegrate into society after prison.
- The Great 'Deep Water' Lie: Seattle vs. Tacoma
A leaked conversation between a Northern Pacific Railroad agent and a local editor reveals the cutthroat, manufactured rivalry over which city would become the true terminus for the wheat trade.
- The Battle for Washington Territory's Ballot
A fiery Senate debate in 1886 reveals the complex national struggle over women’s suffrage during Washington's push for statehood.
- The Printer and the Preacher: A Life Between Worlds
Rev. Peter C. Stanup, a Puyallup tribal member, reflects on his journey from the reservation school to the pulpit and the printing press.
- The Lost Lover Reappears at the Quilting Bee
A decade-long disappearance ends in a fainting spell when a long-lost suitor wanders onto a back porch during a game of blindman's buff.
- The Gallows Awaits a Pullman Murderer
A jury in Colfax has returned a guilty verdict for the cold-blooded murder of William T. Higgins, leading to a stark final judgment from the bench.
- The Tragedy at Oak Lake
A husband confronts his wife's attacker, ending in a violent act that leaves a family broken and a man facing a murder charge.
- A Grand Fraternal Celebration on the Skagit
When the Odd Fellows gathered to dedicate their new hall in 1885, they saw their organization as the ultimate bulwark against the cruelty of the world.
- Seattle’s Suffrage Milestone
A landmark gathering at the Congregational Church rallies women to vote in the upcoming municipal election, signaling the rise of the movement in the Northwest.
- The Great Seattle Land Rush of 1887
When cheap rail tickets from the Canadian Pacific triggered a real estate stampede into Seattle.
- The Unfinished Potential of Lake Washington
In 1887, U.S. Senator J.N. Dolph toured Seattle to inspect Lake Washington, envisioning a naval base that could reshape the region's infrastructure—long before the ship canal was a reality.
- The Price of Public Safety
City council debates delaying fire limits due to high brick costs.
- The Shadow Over Lake Washington
As the controversial Miller murder trial neared its conclusion in 1887, witnesses scrambled to untangle a web of shifting alibis, mysterious lake boatings, and a missing Winchester rifle.
- The Street-Level Economy of 'Rolling' Drunks in 1887 Seattle
A courtroom testimony offers a rare, unflinching look at the predatory 'rolling' culture haunting the Pioneer Square waterfront during the city's early development.
- The $75 Smallpox Bill: A Theater Manager’s Mercy in the Face of Plague
When a member of the Nellie Boyd Dramatic Company contracted smallpox upon arriving in Seattle, his employer stepped up to cover half the medical costs, setting a precedent for worker care during a public health crisis.