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 | 13 |
| 1883 | 65 |
| 1884 | 16 |
| 1885 | 41 |
| 1886 | 16 |
| 1887 | 26 |
177 stories matching rapid
- The Price of a New Route
A shipping agent's proposal for a new trade route to Priest Rapids is rejected by Yakima business leaders as an economic burden.
- The Death of Canada Owenby
A notorious prisoner faces his end in Dayton, avoiding the gallows through a rapid decline in health.
- Providence Hospital at Capacity
Surging patient numbers force hospital sisters to relocate to accommodate a hospital that is rapidly running out of room.
- The Seattle Rail Boom of 1888
A massive new contract with a Canadian firm promises to connect Seattle to the transcontinental rail line, fueling the city's rapid, foundation-building growth.
- Charting the Future of the Columbia River
Lieutenant T.W. Symons releases a landmark report on making the Upper Columbia navigable for trade, mining, and agriculture.
- The Great Seattle Tax Auction of 1885
Before Seattle was a tech hub, it was a frontier town defined by rapid land speculation and the inevitable, painful process of tax foreclosures on the city's building blocks.
- The Rapid Rise of Eagle Harbor
A quiet settlement nine miles from Seattle transforms into a thriving community with a school and regular preaching.
- The Rapid Transformation of 'Bell Town'
Seattle's northern district sheds its frontier skin with new hotels, street improvements, and a burgeoning commercial sector.
- The Boomtown Boom: Life on Lake Union
A local reporter describes the rapid transformation of the Lake Union area into a bustling industrial suburb, predicting it will soon be closer to downtown Seattle than Santa Clara is to San Jose.
- Seattle's Mayor Calls for Modern Infrastructure
In his annual address, Mayor H. G. Struve urges the city to build a modern sewer system and expand city limits to meet rapid population growth.
- The Expulsion from Seattle
While Washington Territory’s leaders exchanged telegrams regarding the forced removal of Chinese residents from Tacoma, the Seattle press reported on the 'peaceable' but total displacement of the city's Chinese population.
- The Baptist Mission Boom of 1884
A report on the rapid expansion of Baptist missions, church building, and church membership in Washington Territory.
- The Argument for Washington Statehood in 1883
An editorial from the Pacific Chronicle argues that the territory’s rapid growth and wealth entitle it to immediate admission to the Union.
- Seattle’s Relentless Boom
A rival paper questioned Seattle's future without a railroad, but the Post-Intelligencer argues that the city's growth is too rapid to ignore.
- The Real Estate Fire Sale of the Comstock Estate
A court-ordered liquidation of downtown Seattle property hits the market, signaling the rapid consolidation of city center land during the late 19th-century boom.
- The Rapid Transformation of Seattle's Eastern Woods
A new route to Lake Washington reveals a landscape undergoing frantic clearing and development as the city expands toward the water.
- The Dream of a Mountain Railroad
Proponents argue that a narrow-gage line over the Cascades would spark an economic boom for Seattle and the Yakima Valley.
- The Great North Seattle Fire Engine Turf War
A bitter neighborhood battle erupts over the city’s decision to move vital fire equipment, exposing growing pains in a rapidly expanding 1885 Seattle.
- The Boomtown Rhythms of Olympia
A report on the rapid industrial growth, real estate speculation, and social life transforming the capital city.
- Runaway Gravel Train Near Hood Canal
A dozen laborers on a Port Gamble railroad work train are forced to jump for their lives as their cars lose control on a steep grade.
- Hard Labor on the Hill
As the Seattle county jail hits capacity, the sheriff puts inmates to work clearing brush on the city's hills.
- The Unruly Puyallup River Threatens the Northern Pacific Bridge
Contractors scramble to hold the line as melting mountain snows turn the river into a destructive force against railway infrastructure.
- The Tragedy on the Columbia River
Two men and a ferry boat are lost to the raging rapids and white mist of the Columbia River after an oar breaks in the current.
- The Unmaking of a Seattle Landmark
As the city rapidly expands, the historic Wyckoff house is vacated, marking a shift in the central business district’s character.
- The Catholic Surge: How a Small Rented Room Became Seattle’s Most Valuable Religious Institution
In 1882, the Post-Intelligencer takes aim at the rapid expansion of the Catholic Church in Seattle, contrasting its booming wealth and new construction with the stagnation of Protestant denominations.