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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 13 |
| 1883 | 83 |
| 1884 | 49 |
| 1885 | 93 |
| 1886 | 51 |
| 1887 | 58 |
347 stories matching held
- The Election of 1885: A Glimpse into Seattle's Growing Pains
As Seattle prepared for a municipal election in the summer of 1885, city officials published formal notices for a contest to fill leadership roles, highlighting a city governed by ward-based representation during a pivotal era of expansion.
- The Ashes of Affluence: How Seattle’s Burnt District Became a Goldmine
While the city mourns the destruction of its commercial heart, savvy investors are turning charred lots into fortunes, with property values tripling in just years.
- Inquest Held for Remains Found in Seattle Cellar
A jury convenes to address the discovery of unidentified Chinese remains in a cellar, raising questions about municipal neglect and health risks.
- The Tragedy of a Boy on Mercer Island
A young runaway’s desperate flight leads to a dramatic intervention by the county sheriff.
- The Right to Protect a Source in 1887 Seattle
A landmark court ruling in Seattle established that a journalist cannot be legally compelled to reveal their sources, protecting the freedom of the press in the burgeoning territory.
- Seattle Teamsters Pick Their Own Candidate for Police Chief
At Yesler's Hall, licensed teamsters organized a labor ticket for the 1884 city election.
- A Coroner’s Clash in the Coal Fields
A King County coroner disputes a secret inquest held by mine officials, sparking a public confrontation over workplace death and legal accountability.
- The Strange Disappearance of John Steele
A Seattle man is lured to a Canadian steamer under the pretense of work, only to be held captive and told he is a deserter from the British army.
- The Historic Normal Institute: When Seattle Became a Center for Educational Reform
In the summer of 1885, Seattle hosted its first genuine normal institute, inviting educators from across the Pacific Northwest to learn progressive New England teaching methods.
- The Seattle Hides: An Early Civic Mystery
A brief, mysterious mention in the 1885 local notes reveals the existence of an organization known as the 'Seattle Hides,' a group that appeared in the local news alongside fire companies and land deals.
- The Whatcom Million-Dollar Bet
Citizens of Bellingham Bay pledge their own wealth to lure the railroad, hoping to transform their sleepy coastal town into a Pacific terminus.
- The Auctioneer and the Widow's Heirloom
A desperate widow, a misplaced cedar cabinet, and a piece of paper that held the future of her children.
- The Settlement of the Colville Valley
An engineer’s report argues that the Colville Valley is held back by the presence of Indigenous and mixed-race populations.
- A Birthday Gift for the Future
When pupils at the Denny School wanted to honor their principal's birthday, they didn't buy him a trinket—they built a library.
- The Enigma of the Moses Reservation
A critical look at the federal policy keeping prime Washington farmland locked away from development while the Indigenous people it was intended for remain elsewhere.
- The Price of a Drunken Brawl
Two men were fined and held for trial after a violent, alcohol-fueled assault on a passerby outside Seattle.
- 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 Quest for a Professional Fire Department
Seattle fire companies unite to demand a municipal department after years of disjointed volunteer service.
- The Competitive Spirit of Old Seattle
A historic local shooting club gathers to elect new leadership and discuss the high-stakes world of Northwest trap shooting.
- The 'Cubic Air' Ordinance and a Courtroom Stand-Off
A legal clash in Seattle pits local officials against a law that criminalized living conditions for the Chinese community.
- The Struggle for the Promised Land of Washington Territory
While Washington pioneers clamored for the development of government-held land to build a state, political gamesmanship in Washington, D.C. left the local economy in limbo.
- The Tide Land Land-Grab Case
A judge rules against 'land jumping' schemes, protecting property rights against claims on submerged tide lands.
- Showdown at the Whatcom Land Dispute
A contentious meeting regarding a contested land claim ended in an attempted confrontation with the Pettibone brothers.
- The Fight for the Indemnity Belt
How Washington settlers fought to reclaim land from corporate control, breaking the grip of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
- Mayor Struve Disputes Plummer's Waterfront Land Claim
Mayor H. G. Struve acts against a squatter who fenced off city-claimed land on the Seattle waterfront.