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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1872 | 2 |
| 1876 | 6 |
| 1877 | 13 |
| 1878 | 3 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 3 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 13 |
| 1890 | 3 |
| 1891 | 10 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 15 |
| 1894 | 11 |
| 1895 | 18 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 4 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 4 |
| 1904 | 2 |
| 1909 | 1 |
152 stories matching astonish
- The Strange Devotion of Mrs. Boyd
Fresh from an acquittal on criminal charges, Mrs. Boyd navigates her complicated reputation, legal letters, and a future dictated by newfound public scrutiny.
- Andrew Carnegie’s Advice to Washington
The steel magnate urges the state to showcase its vast iron ore deposits at the upcoming World’s Fair.
- The 'Astonishing Weakness' of the Whitman Democratic Ticket
A scathing critique of local party nomination tactics, accusing the Democrats of poaching 'turncoats' and rejected candidates.
- The Principal's Secret Bride: A School Closing Reveal in Franklin
Charles Wetherbee introduced his assistant as 'Miss Lathrum'—then told the astonished room she had been Mrs. Wetherbee since Easter.
- The Ballard Roulette Heist
A masked gunman terrorized a Ballard gambling hall, making off with the house cash while twenty players stood frozen in surprise.
- The Spirit Who Socked the Detective
A seance in Seattle turns into a brawl when a detective catches a ‘spirit’ in the act of fraud.
- The Theater Continues: A Seattle Scandal of Mistaken Identity
In a twist of fate that could only happen in the Pacific Northwest, a husband’s search for 'joy' in Butte leads to an awkward reunion with his wife at the city's theater.
- The Merchant's Dilemma
A local merchant vents his frustration over wealthy patrons who expect him to function as their private banker.
- The Unceremonious Dismissal of Chief Woolery
A police chief accused of serious misconduct walks away without a hearing, leaving Seattle residents bewildered and angry.
- The Cold Shoulder for Bryan in the Palouse
A local editor dismisses the national hype surrounding William Jennings Bryan's campaign visit to Colfax.
- An Explorer's Curious Discovery in the Puyallup Valley
In 1878, a local explorer ventured into the uncharted territory of the Puyallup Valley, reporting back with observations that bordered on the absurd.
- The Waterfront Flood That Never Was
Hundreds of Seattleites gathered at the waterfront, expecting a disastrous high tide prediction that failed to materialize.
- The Miracle Hen of the Barn
A farmer reports an astonishing, if scientifically questionable, account of a hen surviving over a month without food or water.
- The Sad End of 'Shannon the Wag'
After surviving a previous brush with death, a Vancouver man found his final end in a lonely shed—and the town was in no mood to wait for a second resurrection.
- A Sudden Pulpit Departure
The pastor of Seattle's strongest Baptist congregation resigns abruptly, citing health concerns, leaving his flock stunned.
- The 1878 Housing Squeeze
Before the skyline, Seattleites were already scrambling to find affordable bedding and basic household furnishings to survive the cold.
- The Pioneer Discount Marketplace of Seattle
In an era of high prices, the Seattle Variety Store promised relief by flooding the local market with affordable, second-hand household goods.
- The Jury's Defiant Verdict
A Port Townsend courtroom is stunned when a jury ignores the judge's instructions and acquits a defendant, leading to an immediate judicial rebuke.
- A Deadly Dash Across the Seattle Waterfront
A local worker survives a terrifying brush with death as a massive pile of lumber shifts while being loaded onto a waiting ship.
- The Battle for the Bellingham Waterfront
Fairhaven and New Whatcom are locked in a bitter struggle to claim the developing city of Bellingham for their own booming municipal territory.
- The Sudden Marriage of a Tumwater Wealthy Resident
A 79-year-old man surprises the community by wedding a young female physician after a brief courtship by mail.
- The Hidden Cost of a Good Night's Rest
In 1877 Seattle, a local merchant’s advertisement reveals the bustling, precarious trade in second-hand bedding and the struggle to furnish a frontier home.
- The Snohomish Assassination Plot: A Lottery of Death
In February 1877, a local deputy reveals that Governor William Pickering was the target of a sinister lottery scheme to determine who would carry out his murder.
- The Missing Marshal
A city council committee tries to force the resignation of the town marshal, but the official simply fails to show up for the meeting.
- A Deadly Encounter in a Roslyn Coal Camp
A miner returns home to find an intruder in his bed, resulting in a violent stabbing that leaves his wife at death's door.