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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1861 | 8 |
| 1862 | 12 |
| 1863 | 6 |
28 stories matching found
- Brutal Murder at Port Discovery
A man found slain in his home with axe wounds remains an unsolved mystery as authorities open an investigation.
- Tragedy in the Woods Near Vancouver
A farmer disappears while investigating his dog's barking; his body is discovered the following morning.
- Olympia Declares War on Loose Hogs
A newly passed town ordinance empowers the Marshall to seize and auction off any swine wandering through the streets of Olympia north of Union Street.
- Federal Crackdown on Alcohol Sales in Indian Country
New legislation expands enforcement powers to seize wagons, teams, and goods used in the illegal spirit trade on tribal lands.
- The Wedding of Necessity in Olympia
A couple from Columbia County traveled to Olympia for the fair, found no vacancy in the local hotels, and sought a creative solution from the local Esquire.
- Searching for the Wenatchee Mines
An expedition returns to Olympia after failing to reach the mountains, but reports finding vast, promising new territory.
- The Fight for Recognition in the Sanitary Fund
Olympia locals demand that their contributions to the war effort be credited to Washington Territory, not Oregon.
- Tragedy on the Pacific Coast
A boat carrying two men home to the Point William lighthouse swamped in the rough waters of Pacific County.
- A New Territory Born from the Gold Fields
As the Idaho Territory is carved from Washington's eastern reaches, residents hope the split will bring order to the Salmon River mining region.
- An Escape on Scott Mountain
A prospector narrowly survives a harrowing encounter with an armed man while traveling through the rugged wilderness near Tumwater.
- The Territory's Loyalty Crisis
A bitter partisan divide breaks out in the Legislative Assembly over a set of resolutions affirming support for the Union and the Lincoln administration.
- The Struggle for Currency in Wartime Olympia
Merchants in Olympia face criticism for devaluing federal 'greenbacks' at the expense of local laborers.
- The Case of the Missing Territorial Library Books
A government official alleges that a man named William Pickering purloined two packages of library books intended for public use.
- The Territorial Legislature’s Failed Loyalty Pledge
A political standoff in the Washington Territorial Legislature over Union support reveals the region's deep sectional divisions during the Civil War.
- The Nez Perce Treaty Funds Scandal
A political war in the newspapers exposes missing funds and potential embezzlement in the Indian Superintendency.
- The Smuggler's Hold in Port Townsend
A US Customs inspection reveals a secret cargo of sugar and pork, risking vessel forfeiture and perjury charges.
- The Bold Navigator and the Tatoosh Island Light-Keeper
A maritime dispute over a salvaged anchor reveals the shady side-hustles of a government lighthouse official.
- The Widow and the Will: A Legal Battle Over the Ebey Donation Claim
After the death of Isaac N. Ebey, the courts faced a complex dispute between his widow, his children, and an unexecuted will, testing the limits of land ownership in the Washington Territory.
- An Early Exploration of the Quillehuyt River
James G. Swan documents his journey into the remote Quillehuyt River country, naming landmarks and describing the indigenous villages encountered.
- The Morning Glory Fizzle
A group of Vancouver Southern sympathizers attempted to print a campaign paper in Portland, only to have their equipment and their vanity locked away in a safe they couldn't open.
- Founding the University of Washington
In 1861, commissioners reported on the hard-won construction of the territory's first university, built from scratch with donated land and volunteer labor.
- The Perilous Journey to the Salmon Mines
Recent reports from the Columbia River confirm a trail of tragedy, as miners traveling in makeshift bateaux fall victim to capsizing boats and drowning in the treacherous rapids.
- An Ill-Fated Fishing Excursion to Brown's Wharf
Local residents charter a boat named 'Union' for a fishing trip, only to end up mud-bound and fishless.
- The San Juan Island Standoff
Tensions between American settlers and British authorities on San Juan Island flare in the territorial legislature, sparking a debate over sovereignty and the treatment of American interests.
- The Town Takes a Stand Against Domestic Abuse
Forty-three women in Olympia sign a resolution formally denouncing a local man for his history of violence against his wife and children.