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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 6 |
| 1876 | 39 |
| 1877 | 21 |
| 1878 | 14 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 8 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 25 |
| 1884 | 15 |
| 1885 | 33 |
| 1886 | 14 |
| 1887 | 18 |
| 1888 | 25 |
| 1889 | 49 |
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| 1892 | 36 |
| 1893 | 66 |
| 1894 | 48 |
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| 1902 | 1 |
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| 1909 | 1 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
473 stories matching grand
- The Great Odd Fellows Sleep-In: A Night of Fractured Rituals in Seattle
When the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows convened in June 1909, a bizarre mix of procedural delays and social distractions turned a solemn ceremony into a chaotic spectacle that spilled onto the dance floor.
- The Color Line at the Temple: Seattle’s Masonic Order Faces National Backlash
As the Grand Lodge of Washington convenes at the Masonic Temple to debate racial segregation in its ranks, telegrams from across the country reveal a deep national fracture over 'Negro Masonry.'
- The Grand Parade of the Corner Stone Lodge
In 1892, Seattle’s Black community celebrated the formal installation of the Corner Stone Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, a milestone for Prince Hall Masonry in Washington State.
- The Odd Fellows' Tug-of-War Over Permanence
Members of the Odd Fellows gather in Tacoma to debate moving their Grand Lodge headquarters to Seattle, highlighting a long-standing regional rivalry.
- The Judge Who Gambled Away His Office: Soderberg’s Dramatic Resignation
After the grand jury returned five indictments for extortion and malfeasance in office, District Attorney Joseph Soderberg walked into court, tendered his resignation, and declared he would repay every illegal fee to the county treasury.
- The President’s Silent Salute: McKinley and the Grand Army on Memorial Day
As thousands gathered in Seattle to honor Civil War dead, a minor diplomatic incident involving Mayor Hewitt revealed the deep fractures within the veteran community.
- When 500 Knights Paraded Through Seattle: The 1893 Pythian Bash
The Knights of Pythias marked their 30th anniversary with a grand parade, a ball for 1,500 at Armory Hall, and a secret ritual—while scouting land for a proposed Pythian home.
- The Judge Who Declared Unions Illegal
In a landmark charge to the grand jury in 1893, Chief Justice Thomas Burke declared that any combination of workers preventing employment was a 'conspiracy against the law of the land,' effectively criminalizing the labor movement before Washington even became a state.
- The Judge Who Drank: A Local Magistrate’s Confession to the Grand Jury
In a stunning display of candor, Seattle Justice of the Peace John Mercer admits to his courtroom that he was frequently intoxicated while on the bench, blaming 'political enemies' for his drinking and accusing the city of turning a blind eye to saloon owners who ruin working men's wages.
- The Almshouse Graft Scandal
A grand jury report ignores blatant evidence of corruption in the construction of the county almshouse, sparking outrage among taxpayers.
- The Orphan’s Plea: A Poem That Moved Seattle to Tears on Decoration Day
As the city honored Civil War dead with solemn processions and speeches, a young girl’s grief over her father’s unmarked grave brought the Grand Marshal to tears.
- Fraternity on the Diamond: The Odd Fellows' Grand Celebration
When Seattle’s Odd Fellows hosted a massive multi-day anniversary celebration in 1892, they turned the local baseball park into a scene of chaotic amateur athletics, friendly rivalries, and unbridled civic enthusiasm.
- Seattle's Grand Independence Day Jubilee
A massive display of civic pride, featuring a grand parade of labor unions, military companies, and elaborate trade floats, marks the most ambitious celebration in the city’s history.
- Grand Jury Exposes Seattle Brothels and Liquor Sales to Native Americans
In September 1876, a King County grand jury reported widespread lawlessness in Seattle, including indictments for selling liquor to Native Americans, running gambling houses, and maintaining public nuisances.
- Seattle's Railroad Strike Goes Quiet—but the Unions Keep Fighting
As the national railroad boycott convulses the country, Seattle's yards stay quiet under troops and deputies while local unions back Debs, condemn violence, and negotiate food and livestock passage through boycotted lines.
- The County Treasurer’s Double-Dipping Scandal
A local editor challenges a powerful official for illegally holding two offices, exposing a web of political favoritism in the Grand Jury room.
- Shingle Workers Defy Wage Cuts in Ballard
The Grand Lodge of the Washington Shingle Weavers Union resolves to stand against mill owners as labor tensions rise.
- A Fraternal Leader Draws the Line at English—and at the Ballot Box
Visiting Knights of Pythias supreme chancellor W. W. Blackwell wants the order to require English and ties voting rights to language, warning of foreign anarchists.
- Grand Jury Probes Almshouse Construction and Ex-Treasurer
A grand jury is convened to investigate the alleged criminal 'steals' involving the city treasurer and the construction of the new county almshouse.
- The City’s Welcome Wagon: Seattle Prepares a Grand Ovation for the 'Washington Boys' Returning from Manila
As the Philippine-American War drags on, local officials, school superintendents, and citizens rally to raise funds for a massive parade and fireworks display to honor the First Washington Volunteer Regiment.
- A Frontier Political Vendetta Over Voting Rights
A decade-old shooting incident in Oregon returns to haunt a Seattle man, sparking an unusual legal battle over his right to cast a ballot.
- The Rainier-Grand Hotel Swindle
A fugitive gambler arrested in Denver brings to light a high-stakes legal battle over Seattle's gambling dens.
- The Brotherhood of Mutual Aid
A grand reception for Grand Master Workman T. A. Stephens reveals the philanthropic scale of the Ancient Order of United Workmen in 1880s Seattle.
- A Grand Welcome for the Knights of Pythias
Seattle lodges gather to honor Grand Chancellor Fred P. Offerman for his service to the order.
- Thrown Into a Saw at Colman's Mill — and the Law Looked the Other Way
When Peter Feeney attacked a Chinese coworker in a Seattle sawmill, the man's foot was mangled beyond repair. The justice of the peace declined to hold Feeney, the prosecutor dismissed the case, and the town's paper argued the injury was just an accident.