Research the archive
Narrow 25,688 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 |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 5 |
| 1876 | 18 |
| 1877 | 14 |
| 1878 | 12 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 3 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 24 |
| 1884 | 5 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1886 | 14 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1888 | 18 |
| 1889 | 39 |
| 1890 | 9 |
| 1891 | 23 |
| 1892 | 43 |
| 1893 | 50 |
| 1894 | 54 |
| 1895 | 57 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 3 |
| 1899 | 10 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 24 |
| 1904 | 17 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 4 |
| 1909 | 16 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 6 |
| 1915 | 4 |
| 1916 | 2 |
| 1917 | 5 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1929 | 2 |
527 stories matching dress
- The Ball That Shook Seattle: A Night of Masks, Money, and 'Transposed Sexes'
In the damp cold of February 1877, Seattle’s elite gathered for a masquerade ball that defied social norms, featuring cross-dressing performers and a prize for the 'best sustained character'—a rare glimpse into the territory's vibrant, chaotic social life.
- The Wig and the Wire: How a Tacoma Newspaper Owner Tried to Destroy a Judge
In the sensational Wickersham trial of 1889, prosecutor R.P. Radebaugh’s own past and his alleged conspiracy to frame Judge Wickersham for 'immorality' were laid bare in court.
- The Body in the Hen House: An Unidentified Murder Near Eagle Harbor
A well-dressed stranger was found half-burned in an abandoned Kitsap County farmhouse, with only spectacles, a corkscrew, and a torn newspaper to say who he was.
- The Slaughterhouse Inferno
A mysterious fire at a Seattle-area slaughterhouse leads to a harrowing escape as a man risks his life to release trapped livestock amidst a blaze that threatened the neighboring Union Stockyards.
- A Polish Rancher in Muddy Boots Sits Down at the Piano and Steals the Show
Two hundred people in fancy dress fill the Olympia Theater to raise $83.75 for a Sherman Valley schoolhouse — with the lieutenant governor on fiddle, the mayor managing, and the sage of the valley in blue overalls at the keyboard.
- A Night at Brown's Hall: Seattle's Military Gala
In 1886, the city's militia hosted a lavish, high-society dance at Brown's Hall, complete with visiting dignitaries and a display of precision drills.
- The Case of the Fairhaven Silk Dress
A stolen dress from Fairhaven is recovered in Seattle after a swift investigation involving local police and a steamboat passenger.
- The Man Who Walked With a Bolt Through His Foot
John Moore, Seattle's most noted diver, recounts the harrowing moment he was impaled by a railroad bolt in the Mississippi River—and how his tender saved him.
- The Great Spokane Telephone Strike
Telephone operators revolt against a new manager's 'Puritan' dress code and demand union recognition.
- The Mysterious Burial on South O Street
A workman clearing land in Tacoma stumbled upon a bizarre scene: a well-dressed young man on a bicycle burying an infant in a shallow grave.
- The Great Cross-Dressing Chase
A suspected shooter outwits Seattle police during a high-speed chase by shedding a wig and woman's dress, disappearing into the darkness of the waterfront.
- The Confidence Game on the Kalama-Tacoma Line
A traveler from Missouri lost his life savings to a smooth-talking stranger on a train, proving that 'confidence men' were a perennial threat to those passing through the region.
- The Price of Performance
An actress collapses from nervous exhaustion after battling a noisy, disruptive audience at Tacoma's Grand theater.
- "Great Scott! Is That Dr. Mary Walker?" — Two Seattle Clerks Ditch Their Skirts on a Dare
A druggist's cashier and stenographer appear on Front Street in bifurcated skirts, betting their boss they'd do it. The town stares; the women report no other inconvenience.
- The Wage-Theft Struggle of 1887 Seattle
Working women in the late 19th century fought back against exploitative employers who withheld pay, turning to labor unions to recover their stolen wages.
- The Spokane Racket Over Male Attire
When an amateur actress faced a local scandal for wearing pants on stage, the press stepped in to defend the choice as both traditional and modest.
- A Dispute Over a Cleaned Dress Ends in a Brawl
A woman allegedly strikes a dyer with a brass lamp after a heated disagreement over a laundry bill.
- The Art of the Stage Ballet in 1890s Seattle
San Francisco dance instructor L. Cook visits Cordray’s Theater to teach elaborate, avant-garde ballets to local girls.
- A Captain's Reputation on the Line at Vancouver Barracks
Witnesses at the court-martial disagreed over whether Capt. Goodwin had been drinking—and whether he could still command his company in a riot.
- She Rode 2,000 Miles from Wisconsin to Seattle — Alone, in a Dress
Emma Larson, a 31-year-old Seattle woman, crossed the continent on horseback with only her mare Kitty for company, sleeping under the stars and going days at a stretch on nothing but water.
- The Great Swimmin' Hole Scandal
A group of local boys face the judge for skinny-dipping in the Columbia, sparking a call for a proper municipal dressing house.
- A Close Call at Salmon Bay
A church picnic takes a turn for the terrifying when a woman's dress catches fire near the water.
- A Dressmaker Offered to Sew Seattle’s Library Out of Trouble
With the public library’s appropriation nearly gone and no new books leaving the shelves, an anonymous patron proposed making dresses for commission members and giving the proceeds to the library.
- The Case of the Missing Fifty Dollars
A Seattle woman accuses a dye-house solicitor of grand larceny after claiming she left money in the pocket of a dress sent out for cleaning.
- The Mother in the Front Pew
A sermon on appearances and the judgment of the wealthy, as observed in a Seattle church.
Also about this, in other words
- The Iron-Molded Suit: When Tailors Pressed Clothes Onto Your Body
A bizarre new fashion trend in Seattle has women wrapping themselves in hot irons to 'mold' their suits into shape.
- The Queen City Brass Band's High-Stakes Ballroom Dance
In an era of strict social decorum, a Seattle brass band hosts an 'apron and necktie' ball at the Court House, strictly barring 'disreputable characters' to fund their new uniforms.
- The Price of a Pioneer Wardrobe
A look at the retail landscape in 1886 Seattle, where department stores were the primary civic meeting grounds and symbols of progress.
- The Yakima Valley's War-Time Dress Code
Facing high prices and looming war, local women’s clubs demand a standardization of fashion to cut costs.
- The Divided Skirt Comes to Seattle
Young women adopt the 'Boston rational suit,' braving ridicule and finding recruits at the university and high school.
- The Great Depression of the 1870s Hits Snohomish
Facing a glut of goods and a collapsing market, local merchants slash prices and scramble to entice struggling settlers.
- The Great Victorian Trouser Debate
As women seek relief from restrictive fashion, the Yakima Herald explores the radical movement to adopt 'bifurcated' garments.
- A Haven for Working Women
A newly opened, elegantly furnished hotel designed to provide safe, dignified housing for the city's growing workforce of stenographers, dressmakers, and clerks.