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.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1872 | 10 |
| 1876 | 18 |
| 1877 | 16 |
| 1878 | 10 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 4 |
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1883 | 24 |
| 1884 | 13 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1886 | 20 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1888 | 14 |
| 1889 | 29 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1891 | 29 |
| 1892 | 53 |
| 1893 | 48 |
| 1894 | 57 |
| 1895 | 87 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 8 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 2 |
| 1903 | 30 |
| 1904 | 11 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 10 |
| 1909 | 19 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 5 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 6 |
| 1915 | 5 |
| 1916 | 14 |
| 1917 | 8 |
| 1923 | 3 |
| 1924 | 4 |
| 1925 | 2 |
| 1929 | 1 |
620 stories matching actual
- The Road Money That Went to Colville
Ten thousand dollars was appropriated for the Newport–Orient state road. Six thousand of it vanished into 'preliminaries,' and the actual construction ended up in the county seat instead of at either end of the road.
- The Great Tax Assessment Revolt
Citizens and officials clash in Olympia over whether property should be assessed at 'full cash value' or kept artificially low to protect against Territorial overreach.
- The Battle for the Unsurveyed Frontier
A 19th-century court case in Steilacoom exposes the tension between local land speculators and the ideal of the 'actual settler' on the Washington frontier.
- The Mayor's Report Card
The Post-Intelligencer critiques Mayor Ronald's annual message, specifically challenging his claims regarding police success and municipal debt.
- The End of the Cattle Barons' Land Grab
Federal authorities tighten rules on soldiers' homestead claims to stop large cattle companies from using widows as proxies to secure public land.
- The Bust After the Boom in Whatcom County
A local assessor grapples with the fallout of a real-estate bubble, lowering property valuations to match actual economic conditions.
- The Great Everett Libel Feud
A theatrical legal battle between an Everett editor and his rival unfolds, characterized more by grandstanding lawyers than actual injury.
- The Street That Vanished into the Tide
A Seattle citizen recalls his lonely fight against a railroad company's takeover of Columbia Street, a legal battle that exposed the city's early history of corporate land giveaways.
- The Great Land Grab Ends: A Victory for Columbia Valley Settlers
A landmark decision by the Land Commissioner threatens to reclaim 4 million acres from the Northern Pacific Railroad, potentially opening up vast swaths of the Columbia River Valley to homesteaders.
- The Socialist Platform for County Management
Dr. B. M. Angus outlines an eight-point plan to eliminate bureaucratic waste and restrict the use of county vehicles.
- Drafting Washington’s State Constitution
As the Constitutional Convention approaches its one-month mark, delegates race to finalize the blueprint for the future state, balancing high-minded debate with emotional politicking.
- The Price of 'Progress' on Madison Street
Property owners spar with City Council over the ruinous costs and assessments of the aggressive new street grading project.
- Legislative 'Easy Money' Still Thriving at State Capitol
Lawmakers continue to collect generous travel mileage payments from the state, far exceeding their actual transit costs.
- The Mystery of the Missing Railroad Track
A civil engineer's discovery threatens to derail the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad's land claim in downtown Seattle.
- Twelve Thousand Lots and a Deadline to Prove You Live There
Port Angeles appraisers faced 12,000 lots, each with improvements to value, while settlers rushed to establish residence before the appraisal closed.
- The Fashion Reporter's Dilemma: Keeping Secrets in the Social Column
A Seattle newspaper correspondent reflects on the moral tightrope of reporting on local scandals while trying to maintain the trust of society figures.
- The 'Pirates' of Hood Canal Were Actually the Men Who Chased the Thieves
A Port Townsend dispatch mistakenly branded two Bangor residents as robbers; they were the ones who caught the real thieves and recovered a boatload of plunder.
- The Senate's Sudden Revolt Against Corporate Power
In an unexpected political shift, the U.S. Senate moves to curb the influence of corporations on Congress, shaking up the power dynamics in Washington Territory and beyond.
- The Muddy Road to Progress
In 1877, Seattle's city limits were defined not just by law, but by impassable, knee-deep mire that choked commerce and isolated local farmers.
- Feared Lost in the Wellington Avalanche, a Newport Operator Writes Home
City Clerk Britton's brother was reported missing after the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. He was actually in an Everett hospital and has returned to duty.
- The Great Land Sell-Off
The Northern Pacific Railroad begins dumping vast swaths of Washington Territory land onto actual settlers for $2.60 an acre.
- The Town That Almost Reached a Thousand
In 1876, Seattle's growing pains were measured by the ballot box, as the bustling port struggled to tally its transient maritime population.
- The Cost of Governance in South Bend
Facing economic pressure, the city council slashes official salaries and eliminates the night watchman position.
- Seattle Raises $50,000 to Start the South Seattle Canal
A state paper cheers Seattle's nerve as the subsidy is secured and digging begins on one of two canals meant to remake the city's waterways.
- A New Community Stage for White Bluffs
Construction begins on a long-awaited public assembly hall, filling a cultural void for local residents.