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23 stories matching anecdot

  1. The Constable Who Charged for Mileage on Every Duck

    A local anecdote about a frontier constable’s creative approach to fee collection.

    Sep 16, 1859Puget Sound HeraldSteilacoom, Pierce CountyCity Hall

  2. The Boss Who Was Kicked Off His Own Train

    A classic local anecdote about a prominent contractor getting a taste of his own medicine.

    May 9, 1889The Yakima HeraldStampede Pass, Kittitas CountyLocal Legends

  3. The Price of Five Cents an Hour

    A labor organizer’s fiery speech in Everett challenges the exploitation of women workers and demands legislative protection for their health.

    Dec 24, 1909The Labor JournalEverett, Snohomish CountyWork & Pay

  4. The Man Who Bought the Territory: Harry Allen’s Rise from Drifter to Lumber Baron

    A local anecdote about a young man who turned advice to buy land into a $150,000 fortune in Washington Territory.

    Nov 17, 1888Pullman HeraldPullman, Whitman CountyFollow the Money

  5. The Man Who Paid for Nothing

    A witty anecdote from Seattle's early days captures the city's growing confidence and irreverence toward authority.

    Apr 18, 1877The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

  6. The Unvarnished Record of John H. McGraw

    As Seattle prepares for the gubernatorial election, a chorus of old-time citizens defends the character of former Sheriff John H. McGraw against charges of corruption.

    Oct 31, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerCommercial Street, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall · Scandal

  7. A Temperance Advocate Visits Snohomish

    A visiting orator delivers a lecture on the virtues of the Olive Leaf Lodge, aiming to steer local young men away from the 'pernicious habits' of whisky.

    Dec 2, 1876The Northern StarSnohomish, Snohomish CountyNightlife

  8. The Preacher and the Circassian Slave

    A popular clergyman gets more than he bargained for during a trip to a local photography studio.

    Jun 27, 1863Washington StandardOlympia, Thurston CountyStrange But True

  9. The Bachelor’s Secret: Why He Loves a Crying Baby

    A humorous anecdote from the May 5, 1877, *Seattle Daily Intelligencer* reveals the cynical charm of a local bachelor who finds comfort in infant noise because it clears the room.

    May 5, 1877The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King County

  10. Henry George’s Disciple Draws a Crowd in Seattle

    Louis F. Post, a leading advocate for the single-tax movement, captivated a Seattle audience with a lecture on land value and tax reform.

    May 23, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle Theater, Seattle, King CountyFollow the Money

  11. The Jailer's Warning: A Courthouse Anecdote

    A lawyer recounts his early, struggling days at the Seattle courthouse and the amusingly grim reality of defending clients who were clearly destined for Walla Walla.

    Jun 30, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

  12. The Senator and the Boomer

    Senator Frye recounts a colorful anecdote about Spokane Falls, gambling, and the ruthless competition between Washington cities.

    Jun 4, 1891The Yakima HeraldSpokane, Spokane CountyBoom & Bust · Nightlife

  13. The Rise of Scientific Charity in 1890s Seattle

    A crowded public meeting at Ranke's Hall seeks to formalize city charity, sparking a debate on 'worthy' versus 'unworthy' poor and the ethics of professionalized benevolence.

    Feb 15, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King County

  14. The Temperance Storm Brews in Seattle

    Prohibition advocates take to the stage in 1886, igniting a fierce debate over morality, city control, and the role of the working man in a changing Washington Territory.

    Jun 26, 1886Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall · Nightlife

  15. The Great Fish Heist of Squier's Vault

    A local merchant's appetite for mountain trout leads to a humiliating prank by his associates.

    Jul 21, 1883Spokane Falls ReviewSpokane, Spokane CountyStrange But True

  16. The Great Impersonator: Vivian Takes Seattle by Storm

    In August 1872, the 'Grammatical Comic Impersonator' Chas. Vivian captivated the Pacific Northwest with his vocal mimicry and costume changes, performing alongside a dancer from the Paris Opera.

    Aug 15, 1872Puget Sound DispatchThe Pavilion, Seattle, King CountyNightlife

  17. The University of Washington’s First Alumni Reunion

    A modest gathering of nineteen graduates reflects on their time at the young university with essays, music, and an unexpected appearance of the next generation.

    Jun 5, 1884Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerUniversity of Washington, Seattle, King County

  18. The Political Brawl of 1885

    As Seattle prepared for a high-stakes municipal election, a chaotic 'Business Men’s' rally struggled to gain traction against the reformist 'Law and Order' movement, exposing deep class and moral divides in the young city.

    Jul 12, 1885Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerOpera House, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall

  19. The Yellow Glove Standoff on San Juan Island

    When American informality faced British stiff-upper-lip formality in a frontier courtroom, a pair of gaudy kid gloves settled the diplomatic score.

    Nov 24, 1877Puget Sound DispatchSan Juan Island, Friday Harbor, San Juan CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

  20. The Judge Who Was Only 'Sober as a Judge'

    A legendary anecdote from the Seattle police court where a witness’s inadvertent insult revealed the bench's own notorious reputation for intoxication.

    Apr 13, 1882Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall · Local Legends

  21. Two Miles Perched on the Lower Circle of a Rainbow

    A Shelton legislator's private letter describing a steamer passage up Hammersley's Inlet becomes the best prose in the paper — a circle of prismatic color, starfish, glaciers and one awestruck captain.

    Nov 9, 1891The Olympia TribuneHammersley Inlet, Shelton, Mason CountyStrange But True

  22. An Ex-Priest Turns a Packed Seattle Hall Against the Jesuits

    At Ranke's Hall, former Catholic priest J. B. Daly tells the A.P.A. that the Society of Jesus is a secret political machine—then drapes himself in the flag and leads three cheers.

    May 6, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

  23. Farewell to the Old University: Seattle's Alumni Gather One Last Time in the Original U.W. Buildings

    Nearly two hundred graduates, regents and old students filled the University of Washington's original downtown rooms for a farewell banquet, portraits of the founders, and a toast to the classes that would carry the school to its new campus.

    May 26, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyGone Forever

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