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 |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 35 |
| 1877 | 26 |
| 1878 | 3 |
| 1880 | 9 |
73 stories matching set
- Arson Attempt Targets Chinese Business District
A deliberate fire set in the basement of Wah Chong's store nearly triggers a catastrophe for the city's business sector.
- The Day Seattle’s Streets Became a Minefield
In September 1876, the city’s main commercial artery was so full of potholes and water that officials warned it would become 'deplorable' before winter set in.
- The Man Who Paid for Nothing
A witty anecdote from Seattle's early days captures the city's growing confidence and irreverence toward authority.
- The Land Grab That Built Seattle: How Indian Reserves Held Back the City
In 1877, local editors railed against federal land policies that reserved vast tracts of fertile Washington Territory for Native American use, arguing these 'monopolies' stifled white settlement and speculation.
- The Pioneer Wagon Shop of Old Seattle
A look at the essential craftsmanship that kept the streets of 1870s Seattle moving.
- The Struggle to Save the Harbor
Engineers and locals debate the best way to keep Seattle's waterfront from choking on silt and debris in 1876.
- The Seattle Bond That Broke the Rules
A legal dispute over a $15,000 appeal bond reveals the messy, high-stakes nature of early Seattle commerce and the scrutiny of contract law.
- The Runaway Wife and the Saloon-Keeper's Fury
When a miner from Newcastle charged into Seattle hunting his wife, he found a city that prioritized refuge over his domestic control.
- The Price of Progress: Arson in the Shadow of the Opera House
When an old commercial building was moved to make way for Seattle's new Opera House, a firebug turned the vacated structure into a torch.
- The Great Tent That Flopped: Seattle’s First Major Spectacle Washed Out
In October 1876, the famous Montgomery Queen's Circus arrived in Seattle with a massive tent and twenty trained horses, only for torrential rain to collapse their grand opening. A rare look at early Seattle entertainment and civic life.
- The Great Seattle Turkey Heist
A desperate plea from your neighbors to return their fruit jars, as petty theft plagues the city ahead of the Thanksgiving feast.
- The Myth of the Land Monopoly
An 1877 Seattle newspaper sets the record straight for prospective homesteaders: unlike California, Washington Territory is free from the crushing weight of Spanish land grants and speculative hoarding.
- A Sharp Critique of Christian Patriarchy
A biting anonymous editorial lampoons the hypocrisy of Seattle’s clergy regarding women’s rights.
- The Street Brawl Over a Chinese Opium Den
A morning disturbance on Washington Street reveals the city's hidden world of opium dens and the swift, often brutal, efforts to police them.
- The Perilous Sidewalks of Mill Street
Seattle’s rapid urban expansion in 1878 has left pedestrians navigating ten-foot drops without a single railing in sight.
- The Struggle to Clear the Skagit River
Loggers and settlers face a massive, shifting timber jam on the Skagit River, with locals debating the impact of land ownership on the future of the valley.
- The Night the Burglar Met a Bullet: A Seattle Homeowner’s Close Call
In October 1876, Mr. Morehouse of First Street didn't just call the police—he fired back at a window-breaker, sending the thief fleeing with a bullet in his coat.
- The Perils of the Frontier: Seattle’s First Industrial Hospital
In 1876, Dr. G.A. Weed opened a medical facility explicitly designed to care for the victims of Puget Sound’s dangerous timber and milling industries.
- The Perilous Slopes of Columbia Street
A teenage student’s sledding accident sparks a local warning about the dangers of winter recreation on Seattle’s steepest hills.
- The Displacement of Chinese Women in Early Seattle
Local courts and newspapers in 1876 actively campaigned to criminalize and drive out Seattle's Chinese community, viewing their presence as a blight on property values.
- The Struggle to Pipe Water into Early Seattle
A City Council report from 1876 reveals the frantic, early negotiations to secure a reliable, private water supply for the burgeoning frontier town.
- The Pioneer Infirmary for the Puget Sound Frontier
Dr. G.A. Weed announces the opening of a new hospital to serve the 'pressing wants' of the rugged workers and pioneers in the Washington wilderness.
- The Duwamish River's Unexpected Log-Clearing Service
A winter flood on the Duwamish River brought chaos to local farmland, but farmers found a silver lining in the disaster.
- Seattle Declares Victory Over Smallpox Outbreak
After twenty days of tension, health officials confirm the city is safe, though the bill for containment—and a sharp rebuke for those who brought the sickness to town—remains.
- The Price of Our Forests
An 1877 reflection on the rapid industrial logging of Puget Sound and its potential impact on the climate and water supply.