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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1885 | 36 |
| 1886 | 15 |
| 1887 | 12 |
100 stories matching destroy
- Major Fire Razes Ellensburgh Business District
A late-night blaze destroys a prominent general store and several neighboring residences in the heart of the growing town.
- The Great Land Office Fire at Olympia
A catastrophic fire destroys essential territorial land records and plats, forcing homesteaders and pre-emption claimants to restart their filings from scratch.
- A Fiery Protest Over Local Schooling
A schoolhouse in Lakenew was destroyed by an act of suspected arson, following heated community disputes over moving the building into town.
- The Day Seaton Went Up in Smoke
A devastating fire tore through a Washington sawmill town, proving how quickly the industrial heart of the frontier could vanish.
- A Night of Ruin: Olympia’s Business District Ravaged by Fire
A catastrophic blaze tears through a full city block in Olympia, leaving shopkeepers and residents devastated in its wake.
- The Great Timber Fires of 1887
As drought conditions persist, devastating fires tear through the logging camps and timberlands near Seattle.
- Half-Million Dollar Blaze Destroys Cincinnati Freight Depot
Seattle fire department rushed to the corner of Sixth and Main streets to battle a fire that decimated a major grain and freight warehouse.
- The Tragedy of the Main Street Inferno
A catastrophic fire destroys a block of historic Walla Walla, leaving two men dead in the ruins.
- Fire Ravages Olympia’s Government Buildings
The Surveyor General’s office, the Land Office, and a historic church are destroyed in a devastating overnight blaze.
- The Great Seattle Land Office Fire
A devastating blaze sweeps through downtown, destroying irreplaceable public records and a local church.
- The Great Timber Fires of 1883
Uncontrolled forest fires rage across Washington Territory, destroying logging camps and infrastructure with no end in sight.
- The Neighborhood Feud that Sparked a Arson Investigation
A bitter territorial dispute between two Tacoma neighbors reveals a pattern of property destruction, spite fences, and suspected arson, highlighting the volatile nature of frontier land conflicts.
- Mob terrorizes Chinese store on Washington Street
A group of men and boys pelted a Chinese-owned store with snowballs, forcing their way inside and destroying property until the police intervened.
- The Midnight Fire at the Mechanics' Mill
A disastrous blaze wipes out the Mechanics' Mill Company in Seattle, leaving laborers and owners alike ruined just before Christmas.
- The Great Burn of 1885: A Summer of Ash and Loss
While Seattle sweltered, the timberlands north of the city were consumed by an unprecedented wildfire season, leaving behind a trail of homelessness, tragedy, and destruction.
- The Gas Company vs. The Crossing
A minor civic dispute in 1882 reveals the early friction between private utility companies and public infrastructure maintenance in downtown Seattle.
- Chinatown Destroyed by Suspicious Blaze in Tacoma
Twenty-five buildings consumed in a massive fire; arson suspected in the downtown quarter.
- Gas Line Explosion Destroys Home in Snohomish County
A tragic error during a pipe connection leaves three dead and others severely burned after a home is leveled.
- The Day the Windsor Hotel Burned
A ferocious wind fueled a fast-moving blaze that leveled the hotel and nearly half of the nearby business district, causing $150,000 in damages.
- The Tragedy at Meeker’s Cabin
A quiet day in the woods turns fatal when an open door and a gust of wind ignite a powder horn, destroying a home and claiming lives.
- The Plague of Caterpillars on the North Side
A swarm of voracious insects descends upon Seattle's northern outskirts, stripping gardens and trees bare while defying all attempts at extermination.
- Fire on Lake Bosler: A Logging Crew's Narrow Escape
A brush-clearing fire near a new railroad bridge spiraled out of control in Snohomish County, forcing a team of loggers into a desperate flight for survival.
- The Mysterious Bomb at the Postoffice
A suspicious package resembling a bomb creates a localized stir at the Seattle post office.
- The Loss of a Landmark: Cyrus Walker’s Port Gamble Home
A catastrophic early-morning blaze consumes one of the finest residences in Port Gamble, resulting in a loss valued at over five thousand dollars.
- Total Loss at Black Diamond
A hotel fire in the mining town of Black Diamond leaves residents homeless and penniless.