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Tag: Washington Standard

Tragic news in Olympia newspaper 150 years ago

Tragic news in Olympia newspaper 150 years ago

Nowadays, news can spread across the nation and around the world in just minutes, even seconds. That was not the case in 1865. When President Lincoln died April 15 of that year after being shot, readers of the Olympia-based Washington Standard didn’t see the story (right) about Lincoln’s death until a week later, in its April 22 edition.  The State Library has a copy of the paper’s historic edition thanks to the Chronicling America program that makes historic newspapers available…

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A Mephitis Mephitica in Vancouver

A Mephitis Mephitica in Vancouver

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Although I suspect what we are reading here is a private and cryptic joke, it still makes for entertaining copy. The following was found in the March 28, 1871 Port Townsend Weekly Message: A POVERTY STRICKEN INTELLECT. “–We commend the following extract from Donn Piatt to the prayerful and serious consideration of our old and very particular friend Major Adams, of the Vancouver Register. Donn…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Thomas Taylor, 1862 & John Paul Judson 1864

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Thomas Taylor, 1862 & John Paul Judson 1864

Thomas Taylor, 1862 From the Desks of the Central Library Staff Although no oath of office record exists today, Taylor was apparently Librarian in 1862. The March 29, 1862 issue of the Washington Standard includes this Library Notice: “All persons having books belonging to the Territorial Library will please return at once, or the by-laws will be put in force. Thos. Taylor, Ter. Librarian.” He quite probably was the same aged Thomas Taylor who was born Oct. 17, 1793 (some…

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