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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1889 | 21 |
| 1890 | 9 |
| 1891 | 6 |
| 1892 | 6 |
42 stories matching capit
- The Great Capital Land Grab
Boosterism and real estate speculation collide as small towns across Washington Territory compete to host the state capital.
- Boosterism and the Quest for the Capital
North Yakima’s editors aggressively frame their growing city as the inevitable future capital of Washington.
- Ellensburg, Olympia and Yakima Vie for Capital
As Washington prepares for statehood, a vicious battle erupts between Yakima, Ellensburg, and Olympia over which city deserves to be the capital.
- The Battle for the Capital: Yakima vs. The Railroads
A fiery local editorial argues that Yakima, not Olympia, should be the state capital to break the corrupt influence of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
- North Yakima Makes Its Case for State Capital
Mayor Fred Reed takes the case for North Yakima’s ascension to state capital, citing irrigation, broad streets, and a future as a railroad hub.
- The Constitutional Fears of a Growing Territory
As Washington prepares for statehood, editorial warnings emerge that restricting capital and corporate investment could paralyze the region’s economic momentum.
- The Fever Dream of a State Capital
North Yakima land speculators are betting their fortunes that the town will be chosen as the seat of the new state government.
- The Political Fight for State Institutions
North Yakima's newspaper distances itself from local representative Cleman's legislative maneuvers while holding out for the capital.
- The Bid for the State Capital
North Yakima asserts its central geography and climate advantages to become the seat of government for the new state.
- A Noble Fight, but Olympia Takes the First Round
North Yakima finished second in Washington's first state capital election, with no city winning a majority—setting up a bitter rematch and a referendum on railroad-town politics.
- The Great Capital Debate of 1889
Proponents of North Yakima push to designate the rising agricultural hub as the state capital, highlighting its central geography.
- 1889 Ballot Pairs Capital Site With Suffrage and Prohibition
North Yakima lobbies to become the permanent seat of government as the territory prepares for statehood.
- Yakima Attorney Makes the Case for State Capital
A prominent local attorney explains why Yakima should be the new capital of Washington Territory.
- The Making of a Suburb
A speculative land development project christened 'Sunnyside' promises a model residential section and a dedicated site for a state capital.
- Building a City on Sagebrush and Ambition
As 1890 dawns, a North Yakima editor reflects on a year of rapid growth, fire, and the relentless quest for the state capital.
- The Great Railway Rush
Speculators and boosters bet big on a massive new rail expansion connecting the Yakima Valley to the Cascade coal fields.
- The Battle for North Yakima’s Future
As the territory prepared for statehood in 1889, land agents and local boosters scrambled to convince newcomers that North Yakima—not Ellensburg—was the region's inevitable capital.
- Accusations of Corruption Against the Gubernatorial Nominee
The Herald levels harsh criticisms against Republican gubernatorial candidate John McGraw, citing a past career marked by alleged scandal and 'vice'.
- Promoting the New State
An editorial from the Snohomish Sun argues that Washington must attract specific types of settlers to achieve its full potential as a state.
- The Con Man Who Conned a Town
Before he was caught, a master swindler known as 'Gen. Ward' charmed the elite of Spokane Falls and eloped with a banker's daughter.
- The Baptism of the Desert
Thousands gather at the headgates of the Northern Pacific's new irrigation canal to celebrate the transformation of arid Yakima plains into fertile farmland.
- The Invisible Citizens of North Yakima
A local editor complains that federal census rules are failing to count the transient, hardworking men who keep the city growing.
- The Bid to Connect Yakima to the Rail Hub
Portland and Omaha capitalists promise a new railroad line if North Yakima residents provide a $60,000 land bonus.
- The Million-Dollar Desert Dream
A new Idaho-led corporation plans to divert the Palouse River to irrigate over 120,000 acres of arid Washington land.
- A Populist Critique of Corporate Power
State Senator J. T. Eshelman delivers a scathing rebuke of Republican 'corporate monopolies' before the Democratic Society of Washington.