Research the archive

• “object” ×
• The Northern Star ×

1. The Strange Salvage of the Snohomish River

   After days of underwater labor, the sunken hull of a local vessel has finally been raised from the riverbed.

   Oct 20, 1877The Northern StarSecond Street, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyDisasters

2. The Fight to Save the Stillaguamish Salmon

   Long before environmental regulation was common, Snohomish Councilman Ferguson pushed for a law to curb the destructive use of dynamite in Washington’s rivers.

   Oct 20, 1877The Northern StarStillaguamish River, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyFollow the Money

3. Legal Ruling Defines Validity of Real Estate Leases

   A court case in Port Townsend clarifies the strict requirements for property leases, warning landowners that failing to notarize agreements can lead to disastrous litigation.

   Sep 30, 1876The Northern StarPort Townsend, Jefferson CountyHousing & Rent

4. The Great Snohomish River Canoe Disaster: A Tale of Terror, Whales, and Pluck

   Four prominent local businessmen nearly lost their lives when a massive whale capsized their boat in the dark, but one man’s calm courage saved them all.

   Jan 27, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

5. The Logjam at Priest Point

   A long-standing practice of mooring logs in the Snohomish River clashes with federal authority, leaving local loggers caught in a bureaucratic net.

   Apr 17, 1878The Northern StarPriest Point, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyFollow the Money

6. Sultan River Prospectors Build a Half-Mile Flume

   Deep in the Snohomish backcountry, a group of determined prospectors labors to divert the Sultan River in hopes of striking it rich.

   Nov 23, 1878The Northern StarSultan River, Sultan, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

7. The Marsh That Swallowed the Land: A Call to Drain Snohomish

   Local farmers face ruin as winter rains turn fertile bottomlands into impassable swamps; experts propose a collective drainage project to save the region's agricultural future.

   Mar 3, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyFollow the Money

8. The Girls Who Couldn't Be Moved

   When two sisters refused to budge for a fishing trip, a bizarre and prolonged standoff ensued involving a heavy door and a very frustrated brother.

   Nov 30, 1878The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

9. The Victorian Era's Original 'Manosphere' Rant

   A satirical lecture from 1879 captures the era's obsession with policing women's appearances and the absurdity of 'social performance' in the Pacific Northwest.

   May 15, 1878The Northern StarSeattle, King County

10. The Lightning Rod Swindler Who Targeted the Courthouse

    A traveling salesman tries to sell protection to a jury foreman, only to discover he’s been pitching his wares to the wrong building.

    Apr 29, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish County Courthouse, SnohomishSnake Oil

11. The Jam That Stalled a Territory: How Local Men Tried to Clear the Skagit River

    In 1876, Snohomish residents rallied to fund the removal of massive log jams blocking the Skagit River, arguing that clearing the waterway was essential for settling the vast timber-rich lands of Washington Territory.

    Jun 10, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust

12. The Great Sheep War: Seattle’s Political Flocks and the Independent Goats

    A satirical letter to the editor uses a bizarre allegory of sheep herds and wild goats to critique Seattle's political parties, corporate wolves, and the emerging independence of women in public life.

    Feb 3, 1877The Northern StarSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

13. The Great Land Grab: Citizens Unite to Stop the Railroad's Theft of Public Soil

    In a packed meeting at Reinig’s Hall, Snohomish leaders condemn the Northern Pacific Railway for hoarding millions of acres while building a secret coal line, vowing to fight Congress to return the land to settlers.

    May 5, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyFollow the Money

14. The Zephyr’s Preacher: A New Church Rises in Snohomish

    Rev. J.H. Thompson arrives by steamboat to organize the Union Presbyterian Church, marking a spiritual milestone for the growing city.

    Apr 8, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish County

15. The Timber Tax Trap: How Snohomish County’s Wealth Was Slipping Away

    A local writer warns that mill companies are exploiting a flawed $2.50-per-acre tax assessment to monopolize land, leaving the county with debt and no court house while small loggers go bust.

    Jun 10, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyFollow the Money

16. The Log Jam That Held Back the Skagit

    Settlers bet their savings on cutting a channel through a massive timber jam—and begged Sound steamboat captains to link the Skagit to Seattle.

    Dec 16, 1876The Northern StarConway, Skagit CountyBoom & Bust · Strange But True

Download all 16 as a spreadsheet (CSV)