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 | 3 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1885 | 4 |
| 1886 | 2 |
| 1887 | 2 |
17 stories matching root
- The Rivalry of the Sound: Seattle vs. Tacoma
A critical report from a German newspaper highlights the starkly different development paths of the two boomtowns.
- The Axe That Struck the Root of Corporate Greed
A landmark 1885 federal land order threatens to forfeit the Northern Pacific Railroad's vast land grants for failing to meet its building requirements.
- The Y.M.C.A. Takes Root in Tacoma
Civic leaders form a new Association to organize literary and social work, echoing the rapid growth of the region.
- Tacoma’s Merry Municipal Mayhem
While Seattle navigates its own growing pains, its 'younger sister' Tacoma finds itself in a state of total civic disorder, from impeached marshals to liquor license wars.
- The Pioneer Plowshare of Seattle
A relic of Seattle's agricultural origins, forged by a local blacksmith, stands as a reminder of the city's humble beginnings.
- Black Diamonds in the Backwoods
A look back at the chaotic, accidental, and often cutthroat early days of coal mining in the Washington Territory.
- A Life-Saving Surgery in Seattle
After being diagnosed with a malignant growth in his cheek and upper jaw, a local man undergoes a grueling, three-hour surgical procedure to remove the cancer.
- The Dream of a Lake Washington Canal Takes Root
Prominent businessmen incorporate the Washington Improvement Company to link the lakes, eyeing a future of farm-rich expansion and city growth.
- The 1886 Municipal Election: A Fight Over 'Law and Order' vs. Business Interests
As Seattle gears up for a city election, a fierce political battle erupts over the enforcement of liquor laws, city debt, and the controversial administration of Mayor Leary.
- The Sagebrush Capital: A Yakima Valley Success Story
A pioneer investor reflects on how he turned a dozen cows and a wagon into a $40,000 fortune by ignoring conventional wisdom about sagebrush land.
- The City That Outgrew Its Rivals
An 1885 dispatch from the front lines of the Seattle boom describes a town shedding its humble roots and leaving former neighbors like Steilacoom in the dust.
- A Solitary Death in the Harbor
A young man, seemingly alone in the world, is discovered in Seattle's harbor, his pockets containing only letters from a jilted former flame.
- The New Steamboat Revolutionizing the Chehalis River
As industry and sawmills take root at Grays Harbor, a new steamer brings promise of a 'new era of prosperity' to the Chehalis valley.
- Tacoma’s Growing Pains: A New City Government Takes Root
Freshly inaugurated in 1887, Mayor Tawse calls for unity as the growing city navigates a contentious municipal transition and plans a massive Fourth of July celebration.
- The Desert Bloom of Ainsworth
A skeptical traveler discovers a German immigrant coaxing bountiful gardens from the dusty sagebrush plains of the Snake River.
- The Soldier Who Missed: Why Seattle Is Rooting for a Court-Martialed Hero
Sergeant Mason’s attempt to assassinate the man who killed Garfield has turned him from a mutineer into a martyr, sparking petitions and subscriptions across the Pacific Northwest.
- The Church Fair Grind: A Young Man’s Ordeal with Charity and Cake
In a tale of social pressure and predatory fundraising, one Seattleite recounts his harrowing escape from a church bazaar where 'charity' meant forced purchases, fake fortunes, and extortionate flower prices.