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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 6 |
| 1861 | 28 |
| 1862 | 26 |
| 1863 | 15 |
75 stories matching local
- The Capitol Betrayal: Olympia’s Seat of Power Shipped to Vancouver
In a stunning political maneuver, the Territorial Legislature has voted to move the capital from Olympia to Vancouver and the penitentiary to Port Townsend, sparking outrage among local editors who see it as a betrayal of trust.
- 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.
- Territorial Jobs and the Politics of Pay Cuts
Local outrage over congressional moves to slash federal salaries in Washington Territory, sparking fears of a political power grab.
- The Great Butter Hoax of 1859
A classic tall tale of rancid butter, two tipsy pioneers, and an elaborate prank on a local tavern keeper in Olympia.
- The Strategic Move of a Custom House
Congress orders the transfer of the Port of Entry for Puget Sound from Port Townsend to Port Angeles, sparking local political controversy.
- The Emancipation Proclamation Reaches Washington Territory
A brief editorial note acknowledges that the monumental news of the Emancipation Proclamation was delayed in the local press due to legislative reports.
- The Mail Carriage Dispute
Citizens of Olympia clash with their local postmaster over a controversial contract, suspecting graft in the transport of official mail.
- An Indignant Patron
A Chinese man refuses a segregated ticket policy at a local circus.
- Celebrating the Lunar New Year in 1863
Olympia's Chinese residents celebrated the New Year with traditional firecrackers and tea, an occasion marked by a local editor with a mix of curiosity and cultural commentary.
- Patriotic Rivalry at Oak Point
When steamer crewmen beat the local ladies to the punch on a flag-raising ceremony, the women reclaimed the duty themselves.
- 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.
- Port Madison Citizens Form Union Guard
In an immediate response to the Governor's call to arms, seventy citizens at Port Madison organize a volunteer militia company to support the Union.
- 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.
- Steamer Pacific Wrecked on the Columbia
A local steamer strikes a rock in the dead of night, leading to the loss of its cargo and livestock.
- Greenbacks Earn Trust in Olympia
Citizens freely exchange Treasury notes for gold at par, signaling local faith in the Union cause.
- The Relocation of the Customs House
Citizens of Port Townsend are reeling after reports that the Custom-House is being moved to satisfy political land speculators.
- Major W. W. Miller’s Wartime Appointment
Local Democrat and loyal Union man W. W. Miller secures a commission as Quartermaster in the volunteer service.
- The Fight for the Territory’s Future
As the Civil War ignites, local politicians trade accusations over union loyalty, financial mismanagement, and the location of the Territorial seat of government.
- The Port Townsend Loyalty Meetings
Citizens organize to refute allegations of disloyalty published in regional newspapers.
- The Plot to Hijack the Revenue Cutter
Confederate sympathizers were rumored to be conspiring to seize a U.S. revenue cutter in the Puget Sound, heightening Civil War tensions in the Pacific Northwest.
- The Loyalty Oath of Lewis County
Local citizens gather to formalize their support for the Union and renounce the 'Knights of the Golden Circle' during the Civil War.
- The Shadow of Treason in the Territorial Legislature
Local pro-Union editors call out their colleagues and legislators for harboring sympathy for the Confederacy.
- Washington Territory Prepares for Civil War
Acting-Governor Henry M. McGill calls for a territorial militia to defend the Union, a symbolic gesture of loyalty from a frontier thousands of miles from the conflict.
- The Threat of Slave Labor in Washington
A local writer warns laborers that the introduction of enslaved people into the territory could crash wages and destroy the dignity of free labor.
- The Territorial Legislator and the Editor’s Ego
A fiery public feud erupts in 1861 between a Clark County representative and the editor of the Washington Standard, highlighting the volatile politics of the territorial legislature.