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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1884 | 13 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 7 |
53 stories matching session
- The Price of a Capitol Seat
When the Territorial Legislature convened in Olympia, residents hiked rent to price gouge the lawmakers, sparking a legislative push to abandon the capital city.
- The Riotous Mock Legislature of 1886
A railroad-backed lobby, frustrated by their political losses at the Olympia legislative session, staged a rowdy mock government to harass and demean King County representatives.
- The Silent Delegate: Why Washington Territory Is Falling Behind
While Montana’s representative aggressively lobbies for statehood and investment, Washington’s Delegate Voorhees remains inexplicably quiet, missing crucial opportunities for federal patronage and political clout.
- The Baptist Mission Boom of 1884
A report on the rapid expansion of Baptist missions, church building, and church membership in Washington Territory.
- The Incorporation of La Conner
A local correspondent reports on the first election in the newly minted city of La Conner, following the 1884 legislative session.
- The Death of the Egg Law
A peculiar piece of legislation from 1875 mandating the sale of eggs by weight is finally repealed after years of being a 'dead letter'.
- The Church Looks Toward Puget Sound
Methodist leaders convene in Vancouver to strategize church expansion and infrastructure across the Pacific Northwest.
- Drowning and Smuggling in Port Townsend
Court business is quiet, but a sailor goes missing, a steward is drowned, and a smuggler is fined in the latest local update.
- When Washington Territory Granted Women the Vote
A rare 1884 report reflects on the early, controversial experiment of woman suffrage and the inclusion of women on juries.
- The Women’s Crusade Meets in Seattle
Temperance activists and leaders, including Miss Willard, gather to discuss the path toward prohibition in Washington Territory.
- Women Serve on Grand Jury in Chehalis
A landmark moment in Washington Territory as women take their seats in the courtroom.
- City Council Charges Corruption in Fire Department
A motion is introduced to investigate grave accusations made against the Mayor and Council concerning the illegal passage of a fire department ordinance.
- The 'Black Cloud' Over Washington Territory
Settlers use a radical map-based protest to highlight how Northern Pacific railroad land grants are freezing out public settlement.
- The Push for Washington Statehood
While Washington Territory eyes the Union, local leaders debate whether to wait for Congress or force the issue.
- The Day a Witticism Knocked the Stuffing Out of the University Debate
A classic legislative quip in Olympia reveals the intense regional rivalry between Seattle and Tacoma over the location of the Territorial University.
- Fire, Graft, and Feuding at City Hall
A City Council meeting descends into chaos as member F.W. Wusthoff is grilled for accusing the Mayor of corruption.
- County Corruption Scandal
Auditors find discrepancies in the accounts of King County officials, sparking fears of thousands of dollars in losses.
- The First Fight for Women’s Suffrage in Seattle
Before statehood, the 1887 Washington Territorial Legislature sparked a fierce, floor-level battle over the right of women to vote and hold office.
- 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 Settlers' Revolt Against Monopoly
Whitman County farmers mobilize to challenge the Northern Pacific Railroad's land grant policies and freight rate gouging.
- The Push for Statehood
Governor Newell of Washington Territory lobbies in Washington D.C., touting the region’s timber, coal, and agricultural potential as proof of readiness for statehood.
- 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.
- The Delegate Who Did Nothing
Washington Territory’s representative in Washington D.C. faced scathing criticism for a term defined by absolute political inertia.
- The Forgotten Women of the 1887 Labor Convention
A rare glimpse of women organizers taking the floor at an early Seattle-area political gathering, challenging the 'monopolists' of the Gilded Age.
- The Great Land Grab: Congress’s Failure to Hold the Northern Pacific Accountable
A scathing editorial from 1886 demands legislative accountability as Congress fails to reclaim land granted to the Northern Pacific Railroad.