Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 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.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 13 |
| 1876 | 51 |
| 1877 | 30 |
| 1878 | 24 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 24 |
| 1882 | 12 |
| 1883 | 53 |
| 1884 | 30 |
| 1885 | 71 |
| 1886 | 37 |
| 1887 | 44 |
| 1888 | 33 |
| 1889 | 92 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 53 |
| 1892 | 148 |
| 1893 | 160 |
| 1894 | 210 |
| 1895 | 228 |
| 1897 | 2 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 56 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 21 |
| 1904 | 16 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1909 | 15 |
| 1910 | 4 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1917 | 3 |
| 1923 | 1 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 3 |
1,447 stories matching held
- The City Goes to the Polls in 1878
A rare glimpse into the logistical footprint of Seattle’s civic life during the era of wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages.
- The Election of 1885: A Glimpse into Seattle's Growing Pains
As Seattle prepared for a municipal election in the summer of 1885, city officials published formal notices for a contest to fill leadership roles, highlighting a city governed by ward-based representation during a pivotal era of expansion.
- Fatal Milk: The Formaldehyde Poisoning Scandal
A coroner's jury in Seattle finds local farmers and milkmen responsible for the death of an infant after poisonous additives are found in the dairy supply.
- The Ashes of Affluence: How Seattle’s Burnt District Became a Goldmine
While the city mourns the destruction of its commercial heart, savvy investors are turning charred lots into fortunes, with property values tripling in just years.
- The Snohomish Lawyer’s Swindle
A lawyer absconds after forging his client's signature, triggering a bizarre legal fight over debt and stolen notes.
- The Horror of the Seattle Police Dungeon
A man held for seven days without charges in a 'black hole' recounts the squalor, lice, and mental torture inflicted by the local department.
- A Mother's Sorrow at the City Jail
A woman travels from Spokane to Seattle to reunite with her son, only to find him imprisoned for vagrancy.
- Inquest Held for Remains Found in Seattle Cellar
A jury convenes to address the discovery of unidentified Chinese remains in a cellar, raising questions about municipal neglect and health risks.
- The Editor, the Chief, and the 'Police Abomination' Libel Trial
Seattle Telegraph managing editor Charles H. Lugrin goes on trial over an article accusing Police Chief Robert Bolton Rogers of taking a cut from gamblers, as the defense argues the state has not proved its case.
- The Convention City: Seattle Hosts Five Major Organizations in One Week
From the Women's Club Federation to the Sons of Veterans, the capital of Washington Territory is buzzing with civic energy as delegates flood downtown hotels and halls.
- The Fevered Eve of the 1892 Election
Thousands crowd into Seattle’s armory for a final show of political might as Republicans and Democrats stage competing rallies on the eve of the presidential vote.
- The Tragedy of a Boy on Mercer Island
A young runaway’s desperate flight leads to a dramatic intervention by the county sheriff.
- The Silent Protest at the County Jail
A Japanese man held in the county jail initiates a desperate hunger strike, vowing to abstain from food until Russia is defeated in the ongoing conflict.
- Plasterers Form New Union to Protect Wages
Local contractors meet at the Smith Block to fight against the practice of 'cutting prices and working for nothing.'
- The Right to Protect a Source in 1887 Seattle
A landmark court ruling in Seattle established that a journalist cannot be legally compelled to reveal their sources, protecting the freedom of the press in the burgeoning territory.
- Midnight Robbers Rule the Streets
A wave of armed robberies plagues Seattle, leaving citizens wary and police in pursuit of a gang masking themselves with skeleton keys and spare rags.
- Seattle Teamsters Pick Their Own Candidate for Police Chief
At Yesler's Hall, licensed teamsters organized a labor ticket for the 1884 city election.
- The 'Bloody First' Ward Primary Fraud
A rowdy Seattle Democratic primary descends into chaos, ballot-stuffing, and mob rule as the John Collins-Considine faction fights to maintain control.
- The Highwayman's Professional Courtesy
A Seattle attorney was held up by armed men at 5:00 a.m. in North Seattle, only to be released unharmed when the robber recognized him as the defense lawyer for a former client.
- Smuggling at the Railroad Tracks
A local man is held on charges for attempting to smuggle 32 Chinese immigrants via rail boxcar.
- Resign in Days, or Face Perjury Charges: Seattle Ultimatum to Two State Officers
Secretary of State Nichols and Insurance Commissioner Schively were given a deadline after a closed-door meeting of the investigating committee — with a hint that worse than perjury could follow.
- Debating the Tide Lands
A committee weighs how the state will hold, lease, and sell shore lands in the new constitutional framework.
- The Deportation That Failed in Seattle
Two Chinese men arrested in Idaho were ordered deported—until a Seattle court asked whether the commissioner had any jurisdiction at all.
- A Coroner’s Clash in the Coal Fields
A King County coroner disputes a secret inquest held by mine officials, sparking a public confrontation over workplace death and legal accountability.
- Republican Defectors in Duwamish
A political primary in the Duwamish precinct saw a surprising shift, with voters rejecting a Garfield endorsement in a vote that signaled growing political friction in 1880 Seattle.