Research the archive
Narrow 22,457 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 |
|---|---|
| 1899 | 1 |
1 story matching lib
Scanning errors are common in old newsprint. Also try:libat, libbi, libel, liber, libber, libbey
- Seattle’s Fourth of July: A City Adorned in Light and Iron
As the nation celebrates its birthday, Seattle’s business leaders have transformed downtown into a spectacle of gas jets, electric lamps, and iron arches, proving that the young city is ready for its moment on the national stage.
Also about this, in other words
- The Founding Charter of the Seattle Public Library
A look back at the 1888 constitution of the city's first library association, which operated on membership dues, fine-print regulations, and a dream of civic enrichment.
- The Library Trustees and the Question of Control
A new library for Seattle comes with strict conditions: no religious control, no religious dogma in book selection, and strict financial oversight.
- The Struggle for Civic Access: The WCTU’s 1885 Fight Against Liquor Licensing
A local chapter of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union pushes for a formal transparency process, demanding public notice and character checks for liquor license applicants in early Seattle.
- The Seattle Liquor Board's Battle for Moral Standing
A landmark 1886 legal challenge in King County forces a judge to define the limits of civic power when local officials refuse to grant a liquor license based on a claimant’s character.
- A Home for Books Above the Liquor Store
After years of neglect, the Seattle Public Library relocates to a more central, if modest, home on Front Street—sparking a debate over the city's duty to provide spaces for 'public culture' over saloons.