Research the archive
Narrow 25,688 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 |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 28 |
| 1877 | 18 |
| 1878 | 15 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 6 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 26 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 20 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 13 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 37 |
| 1890 | 9 |
| 1891 | 27 |
| 1892 | 62 |
| 1893 | 37 |
| 1894 | 35 |
| 1895 | 45 |
| 1896 | 1 |
| 1898 | 4 |
| 1899 | 12 |
| 1900 | 5 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 26 |
| 1904 | 20 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 9 |
| 1909 | 34 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1912 | 2 |
| 1914 | 3 |
| 1915 | 6 |
| 1916 | 16 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1923 | 3 |
| 1924 | 3 |
| 1925 | 3 |
| 1928 | 2 |
| 1929 | 2 |
572 stories matching race
- The Day Burrard Inlet Rowed Away With Lake Washington
At the first amateur regatta ever held on Lake Washington, British Columbia crews dominated the junior fours and senior singles while Seattle prepared for its turn on the water.
- A Monitor, a Greased Pig, and a City on Fire for the Fourth
Seattle's 1895 Fourth of July committee promised a naval sham battle, fireworks over the water, yacht and canoe races, and two days of frontier sports.
- The Day Seattle Shut Down: Sailors, Longshoremen and the First Labor Day
Banks, courts and public offices closed for the first time in the city's history, 2,500 people packed Pioneer Place for a 36-minute tug-of-war, and a labor orator told the crowd that good wages are the engine of everyone's prosperity.
- The Whole Lake Turns Out: Seattle's 1894 Rowing Championship
Crews from Portland, Vancouver and the Burrard Inlet club row for the senior cup off Madrona Park, with the finish line at the foot of Madison Street and every boat on Lake Washington pressed into spectator service.
- The Dangerous Thrill of Everett's Early Auto-Cycle Races
Before high-speed motorcycles were common, the Everett Auto Cycle Club turned a local track into a proving ground for 'dare-devil' riders and humorous slow-races.
- Seattle Loses by Half a Length—and Wins the Lake
In August 1894, Seattle's first amateur regatta drew crowds to the Madison Street shore of Lake Washington for a four-oared thriller against Portland and Burrard Inlet. The home crew lost by less than half a length, but set a course record and gave the young city a new civic stage.
- The Senator Who Called a Race 'Hell on Wheels'
In the smoke-filled backroom of the Seattle Jockey Club in 1888, U.S. Senators discussed tariffs and whiskey while recounting a chaotic horse race where the crowd 'yelled like demons' and hats flew like confetti.
- The Day Seattle Swallowed 10,000 Strangers: The Great Fourth of July Flood
In 1888, the Territory of Washington threw its biggest-ever Independence Day celebration. Steamers arrived loaded with visitors until the streets were so packed that police could barely move. Here is how Seattle hosted a crowd that nearly burst its seams.
- A Filipino Writer Confronts Exclusion — and the Seattle Times — in 1926
A local column challenges a Filipino student's call for exclusion, calls for cross-racial labor solidarity in the Pacific Northwest, and rebuts the Seattle Daily Times on Philippine independence.
- The Day Newport Showed Off: Fourth of July, 1909
A rain-threatened holiday still drew crowds for an industrial parade, patriotic speeches, baseball, log-rolling and a dance—without a single arrest.
- The 'Seedy' Runner Who Was More Than He Seemed
A stranger arriving in Seattle claimed ignorance of foot-racing rules, only to reveal himself as a skilled athlete in disguise.
- Racing Fever Grips the Walla Walla Fairgrounds
A banner day for local harness racing as crowds flock to the track to witness a new record in the 2:12 pace.
- Walla Walla's Day at the Races
Thousands of residents gathered at the track to watch local favorites Francisco and Belladi dominate the harness events, while a pony race provided unexpected comedy.
- The City’s Biggest Celebration
Athletic contests and a tense yacht race on the Sound defined Seattle's 1880 Fourth of July.
- The Night Seattle's Athletes Took On Tacoma and Found a Champion
A packed Armory crowd watched the Seattle Athletic Club's indoor meet, where H. H. Connor won the diamond-studded Hansen medal and Tacoma took the relay.
- A Patriotic July 4th Celebration in Ritzville
Thousands of residents gathered to celebrate the American naval victory at Santiago with parades, races, and patriotic fervor.
- The Great Auto Dash to Puget Sound
A multi-millionaire mining tycoon sponsors a massive automobile race from New York City to Tacoma to boost the dream of a national highway.
- Waterfront Spectacle: Sailors Race Cutters in the Tacoma Harbor
Thousands gathered at the Tacoma docks to watch the U.S. Navy sailors of the cruiser *Tacoma* compete in a spirited boat race.
- The Kent Races: Peanuts, Lemonade, and Suspicion
While the crowds at the Kent track grew, the betting remained sluggish amid rumors of a fixed race.
- The Wild Horse Races and Baseball of 1873
Before skyscrapers and paved roads, Seattle residents gathered for half-mile horse heats and a historic first baseball game.
- The Great Puget Sound Footrace of 1883
A high-stakes match between two local runners in Olympia promises to shake up the sporting fraternity with $1,000 on the line.
- City Grinds to a Halt for Walla Walla Fair
Walla Walla businesses and banks shuttered at noon as record-breaking crowds swarmed the fairgrounds to watch the trot and pace races.
- A High-Stakes Yacht Race on Puget Sound
The cutter American triumphs over the Edna M. in a thrilling twelve-mile regatta off the Seattle waterfront, as local yachtsmen battle wind, tide, and mechanical mishap.
- The Walla Walla Fairgrounds: A City’s Passion for the Track
Thousands turn out to witness local harness racing and the competitive spirit of Walla Walla’s equestrian community.
- A Great Pacific Sealing Race
Two schooners racing from Cape Flattery to the Bonin Islands set what might be the longest, closest race on record for the sealing fleet.
Also about this, in other words
- The Race That Wasn't: A 'Compulsory' Chase on the Snoqualmie Road
In September 1876, a traveler near Fall City was forced into a high-speed gallop by five Indigenous men who claimed they only wanted to test their horses' speed against his.
- A Racing Car Romance
A simple trip to buy a racing car results in a sudden change of heart and ownership for two Hanford men.
- The Sermon that Shook a Seattle Congregation
A Seattle minister caused a sensation by preaching that biblical figures were of the Black race, citing historical and lineage arguments to his congregation.
- The Aristocracy of Skin
An editorial reflection on the prevalence of racial prejudice in the North and the exclusion of Black students and congregants from 'civilized' institutions.
- A High-Stakes Footrace Challenge
Two rivals trade insults and deposit cash wagers for a sprint contest to determine the 'fastest man on the Sound.'
- The High Stakes of 1878: A Seattle Sunday Outing
Before the city’s rapid industrialization, residents looked to the local race track for leisure, with the railroad offering half-fare tickets to draw crowds to the spectacle.
- The Walla Walla Track Record Falls
During a massive fair week gathering, spectators witnessed the local track record shattered as horses competed for a $500 purse.
- Race Riot Erupts in Opera Alley
A domestic dispute over smoke turns into a mob confrontation between a Black household and local Italian residents.