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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 11 |
| 1883 | 52 |
| 1884 | 21 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 7 |
112 stories matching walla
- The Iron Rail Pipe Dream of 1882
A century and a half ago, the Post-Intelligencer pressed for a direct mountain rail line between Walla Walla and Puget Sound, promising prosperity—a debate over infrastructure and regional connectivity that still defines Washington politics.
- The Railway Heartbeat of Walla Walla
When a railroad bypasses a growing town for a smaller rival, the economic stakes—and the town's survival—hang in the balance.
- The Price of Harvest: A Walla Walla Farmstead Lost to Fire
A devastating blaze sweeps through the property of a Walla Walla farmer, erasing months of labor in an instant.
- The Unbuilt Railroad That Was Meant to Change Seattle Forever
In 1882, Seattle business leaders were desperate for a direct rail connection to Walla Walla, believing their city’s future prosperity hinged on punching a line through the Snoqualmie Pass.
- A High-Stakes Bet on Whitman College's Future
A correspondent warns that Walla Walla might lose the opportunity to house an elite college if the city fails to raise its share of endowment funds.
- The Judge Who Demanded Women Jurors
When a grand jury panel ran dry in Walla Walla, the local judge preferred women to 'scrubby' men.
- 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.
- Bridging the Divide: The Quest to Unite Washington Territory
In 1882, residents and leaders were grappling with the geographic and cultural chasm between the rugged, booming Puget Sound and the burgeoning Eastern Washington region.
- The Price of Hospitality
Walla Walla's city council debates how much it should pay to entertain railroad tycoon Henry Villard.
- Walla Walla Council Defends Debt to Build City Hall
A finance committee report from 1883 reveals the staggering debt and tax burden required to build Walla Walla’s civic infrastructure.
- The Great Divide: The Fight for a Mountain Rail Link
As the population of Western Washington booms in 1882, Seattle residents grow tired of paying for infrastructure projects while Eastern Washington neighbors demand the work for free.
- Seattle's $160,000 Gamble on a Railroad
Citizens paid Mr. Villard's corporations to push a line into the Cedar and Green River coal and timber country—and Walla Walla was warned not to be left behind.
- The Architect of the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Steps Down
J.M. Colman resigns from the railway company to pursue private ventures and a long-deferred trip to Scotland.
- Washington Territory's Missing Land Maps
Would-be settlers at Walla Walla say no one can show them the government tracts they came for—and railroad lands are not what they want.
- Walla Walla’s 1884 Sales Pitch: From a Tent Store to a ‘Metropolitan’ City
A reprinted commercial sketch boasts of wheat, railroads, gasworks and thousands of souls — and lets slip the town’s whole origin story, from a tent on Mill Creek to the great fire of 1866.
- The Railway King Comes to Walla Walla
Henry Villard, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, arrives in Walla Walla to a hero’s welcome and demands for new branch lines.
- The Silent Arrival of a Manufacturing Giant
Byron Jackson establishes a massive agricultural implement factory in Walla Walla without fanfare, signaling a shift in the region's 'old fogy' business culture.
- The Iron Road Approaches: Surveying the Seattle, Walla Walla and Baker City Railroad
While Seattle dreams of a rail terminus, crews map out the path through local gardens and hills to reach the bay.
- Diphtheria Closes School in Walla Walla
A local report highlights economic tension and a health crisis in Walla Walla, while a child in Waitsburg narrowly avoids a poisoning tragedy.
- The Brutal End of a Winter Manhunt
After escaping custody, two fugitives are recaptured on the Walla Walla River, suffering from frostbite and starvation.
- The Unlucky Lothario of Walla Walla
A serial deserter and bigamist finds his romantic escapades lead him from the barracks to the Seattle police station.
- The Lumber Monopoly’s Messy Breakup
A multi-million dollar lumber corporation face an attachment suit after failing to pay for timber contracts in Walla Walla.
- Federal Land Decisions in Kittitas County
The Interior Department rejects land claims in the Yakima and Walla Walla districts.
- The Privatization of Seattle's Waterfront
The Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad declares exclusive ownership over tide lands south of King Street, locking the public out of the harbor.
- The Battle for the Tidelands
A public notice asserts private ownership over Seattle's valuable tidelands, signaling a major shift in city land use.