Historic Washington Newspapers

Digitization can be a good thing.  We now have access to some of Washington’s earliest territorial newspapers, including The Vancouver Register, 1865-1869, via the Secretary of State’s Washington History web site.

Just as today, almost 150 years ago, some folks  were feeling overwhelmed by the onslaught of technology. In the first edition of The Vancouver Register, Oct. 14, 1865, H.K. Hines describes his visit to the pavilion of new inventions at the Oregon State Fair:

“Washing machines are also working away, but we miss the old style. We should like to see one with a “quaker” on, sleeves rolled up, over a steaming tub of suds, and rubbing out the dirt; but alas! We are moving away from the good old style of things, and the way it is going it seems certain that after a few more years we shall substitute machines for women. O that inventions would cease!”

To see what other current and historic newspapers are available  at Cannell Library, go to: www.clark.edu/Library/Resources/newspapers.html