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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1861 | 7 |
| 1862 | 6 |
| 1863 | 6 |
21 stories matching head
- Brutal Murder at Port Discovery
A man found slain in his home with axe wounds remains an unsolved mystery as authorities open an investigation.
- A War Party Among the Makah
James G. Swan recounts the violent return of a Makah war party to Neah Bay after a retaliatory expedition against the Elwha people near Dungeness.
- Street Shooting Over a Libel Allegation
A legislative-era street fight in Olympia leaves one man dying after an accusation of arson.
- The Gold Rush at Nez Perces
A local captain reports on the booming prospects for thousands of miners seeking quartz gold in the Blue Mountains.
- The Day the Legislature Tried to Unmake a Marriage
In December 1860, Washington Territorial lawmakers debated a private bill to dissolve the bonds of matrimony between Onon Connolly and Sarah Connolly, restoring her maiden name.
- The Battle for the Capitol Library
Acting-Governor Henry McGill blocks the removal of the Territorial Library to Vancouver, citing conflicting laws and an ongoing federal dispute over the Seat of Government.
- The University of Washington Territory Opens Its Doors
Newly established in Seattle, the University prepares for its first session under a new president.
- University of Washington Opens in Seattle Under President Barnard
A newly established seat of higher learning in Seattle begins its first academic year, guided by a New England educator.
- A Violent Dispute Over Laundry
A domestic disagreement over washing services in the Pacific Northwest escalates into a targeted racial assault, exposing the local climate of 'Black Republican' tension.
- The Legacy of Isaac Stevens
A profile of Washington Territory's first governor and Civil War hero, tracing his path from West Point to the battlefields of Virginia.
- The Bold Bid for a New Pacific Emporium
Speculators and city-builders are betting millions on a new town at the mouth of the Columbia River, hoping to eclipse Portland and Victoria as the premier trading hub of the North.
- 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 Forgotten Navigator of the Pacific Northwest
A call to honor Captain Robert Gray, the man whose discovery of the Columbia River and Grays Harbor secured the region for the United States.
- The Custom House City That Almost Wasn't
A skeptical observer reports on the slow progress and eccentric realities of the newly established custom house in Port Angeles.
- The Violent Expulsion of a Black Resident from Olympia
A white resident publicly recounts his role in forcing a Black man out of town, illustrating the overt racism prevalent in the territory during the Civil War era.
- The Town That 'Resorted to Flat-Boats'
A skeptical writer from Walla Walla mocked Olympia’s tide-swept landscape, prompting a sharp, defensive retort from the local editor.
- The Brutality of T. W. Glasgow
After Olympia women organized against his domestic violence, a local man attempts a public defense, calling his wife 'deranged' and denying the physical abuse that witnesses reported.
- A Sidewalk Skirmish in Olympia
A citizen sets the record straight after being misidentified in a newspaper report about a public altercation with a deputy sheriff.
- The Capital Crisis of 1861
A fiery letter to the editor captures the volatile politics of Washington Territory, as Pierce County residents accused the legislature of a 'corrupt bargain' over the location of the capital.
- The Political Brawl for Olympia
A sordid, public feud between federal officials in Washington Territory spills into the press as appointments turn personal and properties are seized.
- The Pre-emptor’s Ledger: A Blueprint for Owning Olympia
In November 1860, the federal government issued a rigid, almost theatrical checklist of requirements for settlers hoping to claim land in Washington Territory. It wasn't enough to just show up; you had to prove your worthiness through a litany of domestic and agricultural details.