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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 17 |
17 stories matching state
- The Right to Vote in Washington Territory
Legislative debates heat up over the enfranchisement of Indigenous people in the mid-1850s.
- The President's Vision for the Republic
Franklin Pierce delivers an annual message outlining trade, territory, and the state of the American Union in 1853.
- The Futility of Prohibition
A skeptical legislator warns that strict alcohol bans in Washington Territory will lead only to evasion, black markets, and public distrust.
- The Fight for Indigenous Names on Territorial Maps
A territorial legislator argues that replacing English place names with Indigenous ones will stop mail from being misdirected and honor the region's history.
- Legislative Debate Over Land Rights for Discharged Soldiers
Olympia lawmakers clash over proposed land grants for discharged soldiers, fearing corporate land speculation.
- The End of the Fur Trade Monopoly
Governor Stevens moves to ban the Hudson’s Bay Company from trading with local Indigenous tribes, signaling a shift toward American commercial dominance.
- The San Juan Boundary Standoff
A dangerous confrontation between American custom officials and British authorities at San Juan Island risks international conflict.
- Territorial Road Building: Public Duty or Private Profit?
Early Washington legislators debate the morality of state-funded road construction that prioritizes commercial routes over local infrastructure.
- Olympia Residents Organize Volunteer Force Amid Bellingham Bay Fears
Following reports of violence between Indigenous tribes and settlers at Bellingham Bay, local citizens gather at the Olympia courthouse to form a militia and demand government action.
- The Governor’s Ultimatum on Indigenous Land
Governor Isaac I. Stevens issues a public warning regarding unauthorized settlement on lands reserved for Indigenous use.
- Federal Officials Move to Ban Private Indigenous Land Claims
Federal Indian agents warn that private acquisition of land from Indigenous people without government oversight is strictly prohibited.
- The Territory's Mismatched Mail
A collapse in mail delivery leaves residents in the dark as federal contracts fall into chaos.
- The Fight Over Suffrage for Mixed-Race Citizens
Territorial legislators debate whether citizens of mixed white and Indigenous heritage should be granted the right to vote.
- Territorial Turf Wars: Defending Governor Stevens
A heated dispute between the Pioneer and The Oregonian over legislative representation and political representation in early Washington Territory.
- The 1854 Territorial Criminal Code
A comprehensive look at the foundational laws of Washington Territory, detailing everything from murder and manslaughter to the prohibition of kidnapping and coerced servitude.
- Protecting the Tools of the Trade
Territorial legislators debate how much property a settler should be allowed to keep safe from debt collectors.
- The Tragedy of the Bark 'Kamehameha'
A lone survivor of a shipwreck off Cape Flattery arrives in Steilacoom, providing harrowing details of a vessel lost with fifteen passengers aboard.