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1. The Changing Tides of the Snohomish

   High water, booming mills, and the social transformation of a riverside community in 1877.

   Aug 25, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish River, Snohomish, Snohomish County

2. An Outrage on the River: Snohomish Demands Reliable Mail

   Local business leaders call for a boycott of congressional candidates until they pledge to fix the 'shameful' and intermittent mail delivery to Snohomish.

   Oct 28, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish River, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyCity Hall

3. The 'No Chinese Employed' Sign at the River Side Hotel

   A hotel proprietor in the Skagit Valley advertises his business with a exclusionary labor policy reflecting the era's intense nativist sentiment.

   Feb 8, 1879The Northern StarMount Vernon, Skagit CountyExclusion & Resistance

4. The Workingman’s Haven in Old Seattle

   A look back at the 'American House' boarding operation, offering weekly room and board at the edge of the Seattle waterfront.

   Mar 8, 1879The Northern StarHill Street, Seattle, King CountyHousing & Rent

5. The Editor Who Walked 15,000 Miles to Save the Snohomish Star

   While most men stayed home for Christmas, Mr. Eldridge Morse crisscrossed Washington and Oregon on a grueling tour that has turned his struggling weekly paper into a regional powerhouse.

   Dec 30, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

6. The River’s New Pulse: Captain Hill Promises to Link Snohomish and Seattle

   A bold new steam route aims to bridge the gap between the Skagit Valley and the capital of the Sound, promising weekly travel and a boost for local farmers.

   Apr 15, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust

7. The Struggle to Build a County Fair

   Citizens push to establish the Snohomish County Agricultural Society despite massive logistical hurdles and limited resources.

   Sep 16, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust

8. The Snohomish Valley’s First Great Showcase

   In 1877, Snohomish County debuted its first agricultural fair, a high-stakes effort to prove the region’s soil and industry could rival the rest of the Territory.

   Sep 29, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust

9. The Steamer's Narrow Escape

   A brush with disaster on the Snohomish River turns into a local scandal involving the engine room and a bottle of spirits.

   Nov 3, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish County

10. The Great Ditch: How Snohomish Settlers Tamed the Marsh

    Before the land was dry, a few determined pioneers took shovels and grit to the wetlands behind Snohomish to carve a new path for trade and transit.

    Feb 6, 1878The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyBoom & Bust

11. The Man Who Vanished Into the Slough

    A Snohomish resident borrows a skiff for a trip to Thornton Mellan’s and never returns; neighbors find only his clothes on the riverbank.

    Feb 3, 1877The Northern StarSteamboat Slough, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyTrue Crime

12. The Great Log Jam: How a River of Timber Threatened to Wash Away Snohomish

    A massive tow of logs broke loose near Priest Point, sparking fears of a disaster that could have swept away the town's waterfront—and highlighting the precarious nature of life in the logging boomtown.

    Apr 7, 1877The Northern StarPriest Point, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay · Disasters

13. Pioneering the Skagit River Frontier

    As the formidable log jam on the Skagit River begins to break, early settlers recount the hardships of establishing permanent homes in the wild, mud-soaked territory of 1878.

    Feb 6, 1878The Northern StarSkagit River, Mount Vernon, Skagit CountyBoom & Bust

14. The Great Snohomish Masquerade Fever: Why Everyone Is Dressed Up

    From private juvenile balls to town-wide spectacles, the local press reports a sudden craze for masquerades sweeping through Snohomish and neighboring Sound cities.

    Mar 3, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyNightlife

15. The 'No Chinese Employed' Sign of 1879

    A Snohomish hotel advertises its business with an exclusionary hiring policy, reflecting the volatile racial politics of the Pacific Northwest during the late 19th century.

    Apr 5, 1879The Northern StarHill Street, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyExclusion & Resistance

16. The Burning Monuments of Snohomish

    Two massive, blazing cedar trees lit up the night sky, transforming a local forest fire into a spectacular public display for the riverfront town.

    Sep 22, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

17. The Great Log Boom Break at Ebey Slough

    A river disaster threatens the livelihoods of local loggers as timber worth thousands breaks free from the Snohomish County river system.

    Oct 26, 1878The Northern StarEbey Slough, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay · Disasters

18. The Snohomish River’s New Monster: A Whale That Could End the Town

    A massive whale has lodged itself in the Snohomish River, threatening to become a permanent local landmark—or a disaster—if it isn't moved.

    Jan 6, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish River, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

19. The Shadow of the Indian Wars in the Snohomish Valley

    As rumors of conflict and uprisings on the upper Columbia stir the frontier, Snohomish locals organize a volunteer militia to defend their settlements.

    Jul 13, 1878The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyExclusion & Resistance

20. Native man’s accidental drowning in the Snohomish River

    A local man is found drowned after his canoe was discovered drifting empty on the river.

    Oct 21, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish River, Snohomish, Snohomish CountyDisasters

21. The Newspaper Editor Who 'Drowned' in the Sound

    After an editor’s unexpected delay while traveling to report on the regional resources of Washington, his local readers spiraled into a panic—leading to a very awkward, very alive homecoming.

    Nov 3, 1877The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyStrange But True

22. The Unmasking of a Snohomish Thief

    After vanishing from a logging camp with a comrade's savings, a thief is tracked to Port Townsend and branded a criminal.

    Sep 2, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyTrue Crime

23. The Day the River Ran Red: A Tacoma Tragedy

    In a brutal dispute over territory and pride, 'Negro Bob' was shot dead by Kennek Joe in Tacoma, highlighting the violent intersections of race, labor, and frontier justice in 1877.

    Jun 9, 1877The Northern StarTacoma, Pierce CountyExclusion & Resistance · True Crime

24. The Exclusionist Policies of the American House

    A Seattle boarding house advertises a 'No Chinese Employed' policy, reflecting the volatile labor and racial tensions of the 19th-century Pacific Northwest.

    Oct 5, 1878The Northern StarMill Street, Seattle, King CountyExclusion & Resistance

25. The American House: A Seattle Lodging Haven in 1879

    Before the city became a tech hub, the American House offered travelers and workers a reliable place to stay, promising fair rates and the promise of no Chinese labor.

    Mar 22, 1879The Northern StarMill Street, Seattle, King CountyHousing & Rent

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