Bing Crosby's father Harry and two uncles built Bing's childhood home in 1913, and it has remained in its original location for more than a century. The main floor houses the Bing Crosby Collection, which contains more than 200 items including gold records, trophies, awards, and an official Academy Award given for his performance in Going My Way (1944). The exhibits change frequently.
The house is open free of charge to the public.
Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Harry Lillis Crosby was born on May 3rd, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington to Harry Lowe and Catherine Harrigan Crosby. His family moved to Spokane in 1906 and rented a house until this house was built in 1913. He died on October 14, 1977 on a golf course in Madrid, Spain.
Key facts: (Giddins, Pocketful of Dreams, 2001)
- Bing made more studio recordings than any other singer
- He recorded the most popular record ever, “White Christmas”, the only single to make American pop charts twenty times
- Between 1927 and 1962 he scored 368 charted records under his own name, compared to Elvis (149), Beatles (68)
- He scored the most number one hits ever, 38 compared with Beatles (24), Elvis (18)
- Appearing in 104 films, he was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor three times and won for Going My Way in 1944
- He financed and popularized the development of tape, revolutionizing the recording industry
For more information about Bing Crosby and the house go to: researchguides.gonzaga.edu/uasc.
2015 was the inaugural year of Spokane Geocache Tour. This Spokane County tour sent geocachers on a trip through Spokane History, finding caches in areas of historical significance. Visiting urban and rural gems, historic farming communities, forts and geological marvels. The Spokane History Geocache Tour rewarded those who completed with a commemorative Geocoin featuring the native Spokane Salish language.
Visit SpokaneGeoTour.com for additional details on the current Geocache Tour.
Spokane History Geocache Tour: sponsored by Spokane County TPA, Cache Advance, and Washington State Geocaching Association (WSGA)
