19th century
| History of Seattle |
|---|
 |
- 1851
- September 14: The Collins Party led by Luther Collins finds a settlement in present-day Georgetown. Scouts from the Denny Party arrive at Alki shortly after. [1]
- November 13: The remainder of the Denny Party arrives at Alki Point to spend a rainy winter. [1]
- 1852 – The Denny Party moves to present day Downtown Seattle in April.
- 1853 – Seattle becomes seat of King County, Washington Territory. [2]
- 1854 – School opens. [3]
- 1855 – Population: 300. [2]
- 1856 – Hostile Native American tribesmen attack Seattle in a single-day battle.
- 1858 – The arrival of Manuel Lopes, the city's first Black resident.
- 1861 – Washington Territorial University is established. [4] This becomes the University of Washington.
- 1863 – Washington Gazette newspaper begins publication. [5]
- 1864 – May 16: The Mercer Girls arrive. [3]
- 1867 – Weekly Intelligencer newspaper begins publication, later becoming the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. [5] [6] [7]
- 1868 – The Seattle Library Association is founded. [8]
- 1869 – Henry A. Atkins becomes mayor.
- 1870
- 1873 – Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad is organized. [3]
- 1874 – Gas street lamps are installed. [3]
- 1875
- 1878 – Seattle Daily Post begins publication. [5]
- 1879 – Squire opera house is built. [3]
- 1880
- 1883 – Telephone [9] and Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad [3] begins operating.
- 1885 – Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway is organized. [2]
- 1886 – February: Most Chinese are expelled by White mobs. [10]
- 1888 – Rainier Club is established.
- 1889
- Seattle Federation of Women's Clubs is organized. [11]
- June 6: Great Seattle Fire. [2]
- Seattle Fire Department is established. [12]
- Electric streetcar begins operating. [13]
- City becomes part of the new U.S. State of Washington.
- 1890
- 1891
- Seattle Public Library opens.
- The Seattle Times is founded as the Seattle Press-Times. [15]
- The Seattle Standard is founded as Seattle's first Black newspaper. [16]
- 1892 – Pioneer Building is constructed.
- 1893
- 1894
- The Argus newspaper begins publication.
- The Seattle Republican begins publication, becoming Seattle's first successful Black-owned newspaper. [19]
- 1895 – Seattle General Hospital is established.
- September 4: The University of Washington moves to its current location in Montlake. [20]
- 1898 – U.S. assay office opens. [21]
- 1899
- The Seattle Star newspaper begins publication. [5]
- Tlingit totem pole is installed in Pioneer Place.
- 1900
- Population: 80,671. [2]
- Seattle General Hospital re-opens in a new building.
