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 |
|---|---|
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1894 | 3 |
| 1895 | 1 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
33 stories matching portion
- Chief Moses and the Stolen Reservation
A Spokane Indian leader bypasses federal agents to protest a land grab in Washington Territory.
- The Poison-Peddling Pharmacist
The head of the state board of pharmacy is caught stealing and adulterating strychnine intended for local farmers.
- The Senator Who Wanted to Move Idaho Thirty Miles West
A former Idaho senator says the Washington–Idaho line is in the wrong place—and that Spokane, Colfax and Palouse should be Idaho towns.
- The White Doe of the Cascades: A Rare Albino Captured in the Wilds
A peculiar white deer, killed north of Cascade Valley and brought to Spokane for exhibition, offers a glimpse into the region's untamed wildlife.
- Political War Brewing Between Spokane and Seattle
Congressman John L. Wilson's supporters in Spokane are escalating tensions with Seattle, threatening a 'declaration of war' over political dominance in Washington.
- A Bloody Melee at the Saloon
A violent brawl involving 'tramps' and razors spills out onto the streets of Spokane Falls, ending with multiple arrests.
- The Union Block Collapse: A Mason's Fall Through a Defective Staging
A plank gave way during construction at Union Block, sending one mason into the cellar with a broken collarbone and a second man tumbling to the ground floor.
- Farmers and Railroads: A Legislative Clash
Eastern Washington farmers celebrate a hard-won freight rate reduction, while bitter rivalries emerge between Spokane and the Palouse country.
- Spokane Falls Fire of 1889 Destroys Thirty Blocks
A detailed account of the massive conflagration that leveled thirty blocks of Spokane, leaving thousands homeless and causing an estimated $12 million in damages.
- 1889 Spokane Falls Fire Destroys Nearly Forty Blocks
A catastrophic fire destroys thirty blocks of Spokane's business district, echoing the recent destruction in Seattle.
- Disaster Strikes Spokane Falls Again
Mayor R.K. Nichols of North Yakima reaches out as news of a second major fire catastrophe hits Spokane.
- Spokane Falls Denounces the Legislator Who Would Keep the County Whole
At Cannon's Hall, citizens passed resolutions demanding that the Territorial Legislature ignore Jacob Stitzel and split Spokane County in two.
- Lincoln School Destroyed by Fire
A faulty water system leaves the city’s largest school in ruins after an outbuilding fire spreads.
- An Effigy, a Threat, and a Spokane Man Who Disappeared
When Charles F. Gloystein vanished, someone hung his effigy and nailed threatening placards near his home. Spokane's Republican Union blamed the Freeman's Silver Protective Federation—and demanded the criminals be caught.
- Miners Urged to Revolt Against the Northern Pacific Land Grab
The Spokane Mining Review calls on miners across a million acres of mineral-bearing land to file protests before the railroad locks up the ground under them forever.
- Bandits Take the Newport Train and Vanish Into the Night
A mail car is rifled near Hillyard, a frightened hobo raises the alarm, and a $3,000 reward turns up nothing.
- A Blanket Theft, a Brutal Assault, and No Arrests in 1883 Spokane
Two Native American men attacked a Chinese camp over a blanket. The injured man was left in the care of his countrymen, and the attackers vanished.
- The Self-Made Man of Spokane Falls and His 240-Acre 'Idlewild'
A profile of James E. Roe, who arrived four years ago with not a dollar and now owns a livery stable, a sawmill interest, and a ranch of surpassing beauty eight miles east of the city.
- Spokane's Date with Destiny: Welcoming the Northern Pacific Railroad
The completion of the transcontinental line brings Henry Villard and hundreds of guests to Spokane Falls, promising a new era of growth and connection.
- The Unknown Man Below the Falls
A decomposing body wedged between trees near a downtown Spokane thoroughfare is examined by a coroner's jury — and buried without a name.
- Spokane Falls Catches the 'Building Fever'
Every block in town is adding a structure, and Frank R. Moore's new brick block on Howard Street signals that the city's old capitalists believe in its future.
- The Promised Land That Wasn't: A Settler's Warning from Assiniboia
An immigrant recently arrived in Spokane describes how colonization companies lured families to the Canadian Northwest with loans and free transportation, only to leave them in debt and misery.
- Spokane Falls Council Tackles Charter, Cash, and a Dead Horse
In August 1883, the Spokane Falls City Council met to discuss a new city charter, unpaid bills, street assessments, and the problem of a dead horse. The meeting offers a glimpse into the challenges of a growing frontier town.
- The Bunco King of Riverside Avenue
A Wisconsin farmer falls for a classic card-sharping trap in downtown Spokane, while local firemen demand more pay for shoveling coal.
- The Grave Robbers of Spokane Falls
A quiet cemetery south of town is disturbed by a bizarre act of desecration, leaving a grieving family and a mystified community.