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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 1 |
| 1884 | 2 |
| 1885 | 2 |
| 1889 | 2 |
| 1891 | 3 |
| 1892 | 4 |
| 1893 | 5 |
| 1895 | 1 |
| 1899 | 2 |
28 stories matching theme
- The Pastor Who Couldn't Find a Sermon
In a rare moment of self-awareness, a Seattle clergyman confesses to his deacon that the city's news cycle is so dry he can't even find material for Sunday's sermon.
- The Silent Epidemic: Diphtheria in 1880 Seattle
A harrowing, vivid account of the early stages of diphtheria, a 'perplexing theme' of illness that terrorized families and baffled medical practitioners in the Washington Territory.
- The Leap Year Ball of Black Diamond
When the mining town’s social calendar was handed over to the ladies, the town hall erupted in a celebration to fund a Japanese-themed wedding spectacle.
- Suspicious Blazes in Blackchapel Row
A series of suspicious fires in the building row owned by the Great Northern Railway suggests an active arsonist targeting the property.
- The Tacoma Pastor Who Challenged the Drums of War
While the nation beat the drums of war against Chile in 1892, a Tacoma minister took to the pulpit to defend the dignity of peace, challenging the government's rush to protect the honor of sailors who had been frequenting brothels.
- Ministers Defend the High School
Seattle clergy take to their pulpits to advocate for the continuation of high school education amidst a budget and legal crisis.
- Clara Colby Urges Seattle to Support Woman Suffrage
A visiting suffrage advocate inspires a local crowd, framing the political franchise as a tool for household and civic management.
- The Minister and the Saloon
A fiery Memorial Day sermon calls out the city's corrupt politics and the vice rampant in the very shadow of Seattle's churches.
- Ballard's Grandest School Gala
Over 1,000 residents packed the opera house for a military-themed school production, showcasing local pride and a new generation of talent.
- The Doctor Who Saved Oregon
Dr. Marcus Whitman’s heroic 1843 mission to guide wagon trains through the wilderness proved that Americans could settle the Northwest, ultimately shifting the geopolitical fate of the territory.
- The Rose Queen of Tacoma
A grand lawn fete at the Cochran estate features a rose-themed pageant and a battle of the flowers.
- The View from the Frontier: How the Old World Saw Pacific Coast Science
A visiting British scientist praises American ingenuity, from the innovative naval mapping of the Pacific depths to the reliable accuracy of 'Old Prob'—the precursor to modern weather forecasting.
- A Cultural Tableau in Fremont
Lake Union Lodge members stage an elaborate Japanese-themed wedding and fan drill to celebrate local community spirit.
- The Grand Arrival of Henry Villard
A spectacular, Homeric welcome for the railroad builder that transformed the streets of Seattle into a forest-themed parade route.
- The Price of Healing: Seattle’s 1899 'Medical Trust' Controversy
When the Seattle Star exposed a secret fee schedule used by local doctors to set prices, the city’s medical establishment pushed back, sparking a fierce debate over whether health care was a public right or a protected monopoly.
- An Irish Martyr’s Memory
A fiery speech at the Seattle branch of the Irish National League draws parallels between the American Revolution and the Irish struggle for independence.
- The Great Impersonator: Vivian Takes Seattle by Storm
In August 1872, the 'Grammatical Comic Impersonator' Chas. Vivian captivated the Pacific Northwest with his vocal mimicry and costume changes, performing alongside a dancer from the Paris Opera.
- The Fight for the City's Conscience
Prohibitionists and law-and-order advocates rally at the Congregational Church, declaring their intent to purge local politics of 'whiskey men.'
- The Day Farmers Blew Up a Dam
In a bold act of agrarian rebellion on the Fourth of July, Stuck River farmers used dynamite to destroy the White River dam, draining the muck and reclaiming their land.
- A Heartbreak in a Seattle Boarding House
An elderly man’s public quest to 'rescue' his beloved from her life at the Pacific House leads to a courtroom confrontation.
- The Man Who Took the Bribe to Expose It
Representative Metcalfe’s daring sting operation against Senatorial corruption has turned him into a hero for reformers and a target for powerful enemies.
- The City That Couldn't Build: A Letter from a Frustrated Investor
In February 1889, an anonymous writer lambasts Seattle’s Common Council for failing to establish street grades, arguing that this bureaucratic paralysis is the primary reason developers are withholding capital and leaving the city in a building slump.
- The Mayor Who Bought His Seat with Lottery Money
In Seattle’s first hotly contested municipal election of 1876, the newspaper publisher who ran for mayor lost to Dr. Weed—not because he lacked support from mechanics and laborers, but because his opponent mobilized the city’s notorious lottery gamblers.
- The Man Who Couldn't Sleep: A Murderer's Five-Year Nightmare Ends in Seattle
William Devitt, a fugitive from a Pennsylvania railroad murder, surrenders to Seattle police after five years of wandering the South, claiming his conscience has finally caught up with him.
- The Day Washington Was Born: A City Holds Its Breath
As the nation celebrates statehood, Seattle gathers in a packed hall to hear speeches on liberty, land fraud, and the future of the 'Queen City.'