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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1871 | 2 |
| 1872 | 16 |
| 1876 | 61 |
| 1877 | 45 |
| 1878 | 40 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 13 |
| 1882 | 14 |
| 1883 | 63 |
| 1884 | 43 |
| 1885 | 88 |
| 1886 | 41 |
| 1887 | 47 |
| 1888 | 51 |
| 1889 | 93 |
| 1890 | 2 |
| 1891 | 44 |
| 1892 | 179 |
| 1893 | 171 |
| 1894 | 197 |
| 1895 | 273 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1898 | 2 |
| 1899 | 57 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 14 |
| 1904 | 4 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1924 | 3 |
| 1928 | 5 |
| 1929 | 4 |
1,584 stories matching name
- The Name That Never Was: How Washington Stole Its Identity
A furious editorial in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer defends the state's name against a congressional proposal to rename it 'Tacoma,' arguing that the people’s attachment to their home is sacred.
- The Unwieldy Name of a Ballard Merchant
A local businessman petitions the court to shed his Norwegian patronymic in favor of a simpler moniker.
- The Stolen Name of the Mountain
A rare 1883 editorial lamenting the erasure of Indigenous names and the commodification of the landscape.
- Pike Street Runs Into a Lake: The Man Hired to Untangle Seattle's Eight-Named Streets
In 1895 the city handed City Engineer Thomson the worst street-naming mess on the Pacific Coast — five Cedar streets, three Adams, four Elliotts — and one road with eight different names. Then the ladies of Queen Anne Hill went to war over who got to be Highland Avenue.
- The Battle Over Naming Baby Brown
A classic matrimonial spat from 1882 reveals the absurd lengths a Victorian couple went to avoid the common name 'Henry' for their newborn son.
- The Great Debate Over Naming Washington
When the territory was preparing for statehood in 1888, a local newspaper polled residents on whether to keep the name 'Washington'—and many feared confusion with the nation's capital.
- One Street, Eight Names: The Tide-Land Map That Broke Seattle's Addresses
When the tide-land appraisers published their new plat, they named the filled waterfront after the states and the big cities — ignoring every street already on the ground. City Engineer Thomson's renaming scheme collapsed on the spot.
- The Lake That Wasn't: A Territorial Identity Crisis
In January 1890, a prominent New York journalist claimed Washington Territory wanted to be called 'Tacoma.' The Seattle Post-Intelligencer fired back with a scathing editorial, proving that the name 'Washington' was not just a political compromise, but a point of fierce local pride.
- The Struggle to Find Your Way in Early Seattle
Before the city had a standardized grid, navigating its muddy, stump-filled streets was a chaotic task—until one resident proposed a system that still echoes today.
- The Strict Rules of Territorial Ballot Boxes
Before the secret ballot was standardized, Washington Territory enacted stern penalties to prevent election-day fraud, coercion, and liquor-fueled chaos.
- The Treasurer's Bond Begins to Crumble
Two surety names vanish from John W. Maple's $400,000 bond, and more may follow as King County waits for its prosecutor.
- The Railroad Finally Calls It Mount Rainier
Under pressure from a newspaper expedition and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, the Northern Pacific abandons 'Mount Tacoma' in its maps and ads.
- The Name That Wasn't: How Washington State Got Its Name Back
In February 1889, Congress nearly erased Seattle's home state from the map, replacing it with 'Tacoma' in a final admission bill. A last-minute correction saved the territory's identity just before statehood.
- The Poker Club That Wrote ‘No Gambling’ Into Its Own Rulebook
Seattle detectives raid a Third and Cherry social club and find a members-only poker game hiding behind a constitution that strictly forbade gambling.
- The Detective, the Forger, and the Silverton Fiancée
Detective Sam Sumner captures a smooth-talking con man who posed as a Northern Pacific railroad official and nearly married into a Silverton family.
- The Forged Signature and the Legal Loophole of Marriage
A husband accuses his wife of forgery for signing his name, only to have a judge dismiss the case based on the legal doctrine of coverture.
- The Sailor Who Mapped the Sound
Rear-Admiral Charles Wilkes, whose 1841 expedition gave Elliott Bay its name and helped secure the Oregon Territory for the United States, has passed away at 76.
- The Forgotten Wives of the Front
While the nation cheered the return of soldiers from the Philippines, the women left behind in Seattle organized to secure the future of the volunteers.
- Before the Railroads Cut Through Seattle, One Man Proposed a Saner Street Grid
A letter to the editor calls for wider avenues, a logical naming and numbering system, and railroad tracks that follow the platted streets—not slice across them at will.
- A Frontier Divorce: Restoring a Name in 1876
After a court order and the absence of her husband, Eugenia Tuite successfully petitioned a district court to dissolve her marriage and reclaim her maiden name.
- The 'A Co.' Misunderstanding
A linguistic confusion at a Seattle restaurant leads to a partnership change and a new sign.
- The Fishermen’s Union Organizing Meeting
A representative from the Columbia River Protective Union arrives in Seattle to organize local fishermen, leading to a clash over labor inclusion and the definition of a 'good man.'
- The Struggle for Statehood and a New Name
Thomas H. Brents advocates for Washington statehood while grappling with the inconvenient identity of the 'Washington' namesake.
- Smallpox Scare in Downtown Seattle
A man arriving from San Francisco by steamship causes a panic after seeking help for symptoms at a local physician's office.
- An Unlawful Entry Trial
A Chinese man arrested under the Exclusion Act is brought before the U.S. Commissioner, highlighting the pervasive surveillance of the era.