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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1861 | 5 |
| 1862 | 7 |
| 1863 | 3 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 20 |
| 1877 | 10 |
| 1878 | 8 |
| 1879 | 3 |
| 1880 | 3 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 12 |
| 1884 | 4 |
| 1885 | 16 |
| 1886 | 13 |
| 1887 | 12 |
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1889 | 23 |
| 1890 | 6 |
| 1891 | 18 |
| 1892 | 49 |
| 1893 | 40 |
| 1894 | 37 |
| 1895 | 30 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 20 |
| 1904 | 15 |
| 1905 | 2 |
| 1908 | 2 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 2 |
| 1912 | 4 |
| 1914 | 8 |
| 1915 | 5 |
| 1916 | 4 |
| 1917 | 5 |
| 1923 | 2 |
| 1924 | 2 |
| 1925 | 2 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 1 |
447 stories matching formal
- When Seattle First Flew the Philippine Flag
A six-day Filipino fraternal convention fills Washington Hall, the Eagles Auditorium and the Olympic Hotel—and puts the Philippine flag over Seventh Avenue for the first time in the city’s history.
- The Great Statehood Jubilee: Washington Takes Its Seat at the Table
As President Cleveland signs the admission bill on Lincoln’s birthday, Seattle celebrates the end of the territorial era and the dawn of sovereign self-governance.
- Judge Hanford Rules on Chinese Exclusion Law
A landmark decision in U.S. District Court affirms the government’s power to deport Chinese residents through summary proceedings rather than formal indictments.
- A Tin Box of Gold Hidden in the Rafters
South Seattle police say the hammer that killed a mother and her baby belonged to Henry Cramer — and the money taken from the dead woman's house was stashed in his shed. Now the neighbours are talking about a rope.
- They Refused the Money and the Land
In 1895, the Wenatchee Indians turned down a $36,000 payment and allotments, fearing it would erase their claim to a promised Mission Creek reservation.
- City Hall Showdown: Council and Reformers Clash Over Charter Revision
A heated joint meeting of the city council and civic organizations debates whether to call a special election for a new city charter, with accusations of bullying and claims of wasted taxpayer money.
- Tacoma's Water Was Cut Off by a Court Order—and the City Went Looking for Wells
A judge holds Tacoma officials in contempt for ignoring an injunction over Clover and Spanaway creeks, forcing the city to shut off a major source and scramble for gulch water and Northern Pacific wells.
- The Great Blaine Betrayal: How a Few 'Carpet-Baggers' Humiliated Washington's Republicans
At the North Yakima convention, local leaders rejected a resolution honoring James G. Blaine, sparking outrage and accusations of political conspiracy.
- The Unsolvable Scandal of the Seattle Court
After a grand jury fails to find evidence in a high-profile case, a federal judge challenges the city’s legal elite to stop gossiping and file a formal charge.
- A Wedding Across the Color Line in Walla Walla
A local preacher marries a white girl and her Chinese partner after her mother grants formal consent.
- The Editor Who Killed a Man: James Connell’s Return to Everett
After being acquitted of murder in Seattle for killing his rival Nelson Lee in a street fight, former Star editor James Connell has returned to his hometown of Everett—despite death threats and a formal warning from the community to stay away.
- The Rules of the Game: How Seattle's First Lawyers Codified the Fight for Land
When the Washington Territorial legislature overhauled the rules of civil procedure, they essentially wrote the blueprint for how Seattle’s developers and land speculators would battle over the city’s footprint for decades to come.
- When Seattle Made Property Owners Pay for Street Grading
An 1878 ordinance reveals the early mechanics of Seattle’s urban development and the 'special assessment' taxes that forced property owners to pay for city street improvements.
- The Fight for the Hanford Phone Exchange
Public Service Commission members visit the Columbia River Valley to mediate a dispute over the proposed consolidation of telephone lines.
- The Sheriff Who Stopped a 'Socialist' Wedding
When the radical labor agitator August Spies and his bride attempted to marry while Spies was in custody, a Seattle-area official intervened to prevent the 'empty formality' from taking place.
- The Canal That Would Reshape Seattle
A federal engineer brings word that St. Louis money is in place for a Lake Washington ship canal, with locks, dredges, and jobs promised within four years.
- The Great Seattle Charter Rewrite of 1892
Facing rapid urban growth, Seattle city leaders proposed an overhaul of the municipal charter, redrawing ward boundaries and formalizing the rules for public works and civil service.
- Ballard’s Ousted Councilman Refuses to Give Up His Seat
Thomas Winsor was removed for selling lumber to the city. He showed up at council with a lawyer, the mayor vetoed the removal, and the council overrode him. Now a judge will decide who sits.
- The Forgotten Fort Lands of Puget Sound
A Washington congressman fought to open tiny abandoned military reservations at Gig Harbor and Point Roberts to homesteaders. The House shut him down.
- The Judge Rules on the 'Common Law' Marriage
A King County court recognizes a union without a formal ceremony, sparking debate over the legal definition of marriage.
- A Father Arrested for Burying His Child
A grieving father faces legal trouble for failing to secure a formal burial permit after his two-year-old child passed away.
- The Man from Mexico Comes to Town: Wenatchee’s New Theater Opens with Star-Studded Fanfare
As the city celebrates its new cultural landmark, the Watson Stock Company arrives to perform 'The Man from Mexico,' promising a week of high drama and comedy that rivals Seattle's biggest hits.
- The First Ward's Shadow Government
A group of unsuccessful job-seekers and disgruntled agitators formed an unofficial 'shadow council' to mock local civic power in 1884 Seattle.
- Washington’s World’s Fair Standoff
A bitter, months-long deadlock between state commissioners and Chicago architects ends in the victory of a 'uniquely Washington' log cabin design over a 'commonplace' courthouse style.
- The Tiny Republic of Anacortes: Boys, Shells, and Self-Government
In 1893, a group of Anacortes boys turned beachcombing into a natural-history club with a constitution, dues, and an exhibition that drew the whole town.
Also about this, in other words
- The Great Table Etiquette Debate
An editorial scrap between the Intelligencer and the Post-Intelligencer over whether eating with a knife is a sign of 'vulgar' breeding.
- The Vulgarity of Legislative Gratuities
An editorial critique argues that tipping public officials during legislative sessions undermines the dignity of the state.
- The Milk Scientist
A breakthrough in chemical detection methods brings local scientists together to test the deadly effects of formaldehyde in the food supply.
- The Funeral Faux Pas
A daughter’s confusion during a somber Seattle funeral creates a moment of awkward levity in the midst of mourning.
- A Supreme Court Case Over Formaldehyde Milk
The state's dairy commissioner faces a damages suit after a cafe owner claims his business was ruined by accusations involving tainted milk.
- The Speaker’s Gavel Clash
In the Territorial House, a subtle procedural error leads to a public confrontation over how legislation is truly passed.
- The Seattle Lancers Prepare for Their Debut
A newly organized social club for the city's elite prepares to host their first formal dance series.
- A Cultural Tableau in Fremont
Lake Union Lodge members stage an elaborate Japanese-themed wedding and fan drill to celebrate local community spirit.