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 |
|---|---|
| 1904 | 10 |
| 1909 | 6 |
16 stories matching spoke
- Tacoma Mobilizes Relief for Earthquake-Ravaged Italy
Citizens organize fund-raising committees following the catastrophic earthquake in Messina and Calabria.
- Third Ward Council Candidate Pledges Reform
Local candidate Lars Larsen rallies voters with a promise to fight corruption in city government.
- The Argument for Playgrounds
A Chicago expert visits Tacoma to argue that city-funded recreation is a better investment than police courts.
- Defiance Park Club Pledges Every Vote for a City-Owned Power Plant
At a meeting of the Defiance Park Improvement Club, Assistant City Attorney Baker makes the case for municipal power — and every man in the room stands up to promise his vote and his legwork.
- The Sawmill Trap
A local mill worker shares a harrowing account of surviving a near-fatal workplace injury.
- A Pulpit Critique of City Silence
Rev. A. H. Harnhisel uses a memorial service to scold local newspapers for failing to report on city mismanagement, broken infrastructure, and public health threats.
- The Crusade for Wrapped Bread
Tacoma women take on the bakers' association to mandate sanitary packaging.
- The Sermon That Demanded a Vigilante Raid
Local clergymen spar over how to handle a notorious 'dive' in Tacoma, with one pastor inciting his congregation to take the law into their own hands.
- The Political Ambitions of a Progressive Society
After finding traction in a local ward race, a Scandinavian social reform group vows to expand its influence into county and state elections.
- Politics at the Longshoremen's Hall
Tacoma’s political machinery turns as Republican candidates rally voters in Old Town amidst debates over saloons and city contracts.
- Tacoma’s Mayor Hits the Campaign Trail
Mayor L. D. Campbell rallies voters, defending his administration against press attacks and outlining a vision for a 'closed' city.
- City Leaders Form 'Improvement Society' to Push Paving and Sidewalks
A new civic organization unites the Chamber of Commerce and local business groups to demand better roads and permanent cement sidewalks throughout Tacoma.
- Republican Party Brass Launch Re-election Campaign
Prominent local figures gather at the Donnelly Hotel to secure the future of Pierce County’s federal delegation.
- The Bureaucracy of Getting Hitched
A deputy clerk at the Pierce County courthouse recounts the chaotic, comical, and bureaucratic hurdles faced by couples seeking marriage licenses.
- Republican Rally at the Raymond Hotel
Campaign rhetoric heats up in the Fourth Ward as politicians debate the mayor's administration and the meaning of 'mergers.'
- Three Thousand Boosters Eat, Cheer, and Rebrand Tacoma
One night in February 1909: 3,000 boosters packed the armory, picked a new city slogan — 'You'll Like Tacoma' — and got sermons on land, liquor, and who should own the tide flats.