Walter Charles Crowley (June 20, 1947 – September 21, 2007) was an American historian and activist from Washington state. He first entered the public sphere in Seattle through his involvement with the social and political movements of the 1960s, especially the underground press. He later became more widely known as a local television personality and for his pioneering work as a local historian, including co-creating the website HistoryLink.org,[1] which he considered to be his crowning achievement.[2]
Crowley's service as mediator between the Seattle officials, local leaders, and the community's street people led to the founding of a youth hostel and social service agency called the U District Center, which Crowley directed from 1970 to 1972. He later worked for the Seattle Model Cities Program and then for the city itself in various planning and outreach roles.
He returned to private industry in 1977 and ran unsuccessfully for the Seattle City Council.[1] He had a variety of civic involvements afterwards, including serving as president of the venerable civic organization Allied Arts.
Seattle's Blue Moon Tavern in 2007. The upper-left sign from the 1960s was made in support of liberal Democratic governor Albert Rosellini.
In 1980, Crowley formed Crowley Associates, which publishes guides to Seattle and provides services for many local political campaigns. He was a columnist and commentator in many local forums, most notably having a seven-year run in a "Point-Counterpoint" format with conservative John Carlson on KIRO television.[1]
Crowley wrote several histories of local civic institutions, from the elite Rainier Club to the blue-collar Blue Moon Tavern. He led the campaign to save the Blue Moon from demolition, ran the task force that drafted new laws to restore historic Downtown theaters, and served on numerous other civic projects.[1]
In 1997, Crowley discussed preparing a Seattle/King County historical encyclopedia for the 2001 sesquicentennial of the Denny Party. His wife Marie suggested publishing the encyclopedia on the Internet.[1] Alongside Paul Dorpat they incorporated History Ink on November 10, 1997, with seed money from Priscilla "Patsy" Collins, by birth a member of Seattle's wealthy and prominent Bullitt family.[3]
The prototype of HistoryLink.org debuted on May 1, 1998, and attracted additional funding for a formal launch in 1999. In 2003 HistoryLink.org expanded its content to cover Washington state history. Meanwhile, History Ink continues, focusing on the production of history books.[1]
Crowley and HistoryLink.org have won many awards, including
The Pacific Northwest Historians Guild's 2007 History Award
The Washington State Historic Preservation Office's award for media in 2001
The Association of King County Historical Organizations
Walt Crowley married graphic designer and business associate Marie McCaffrey in 1982.[1]
In 2005, Crowley was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and fought it with characteristic stubbornness; the night before his larynx was removed, he held a "Famous Last (Natural) Words" party.[4] He died at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle on September 21, 2007, at the age of 60, after suffering a stroke following an operation for the cancer.[5]
Bibliography
Helix Drawings 1967-1970 (Seattle: Medium Rare, 1977)
The Compleat Browser's Guide to Pioneer Square (Seattle: Pioneer Square Association, 1981)
The Continental Family (Seattle: Continental Mortgage and Savings Bank, 1997)
Forever Blue Moon: The Story of Seattle's Most (In)Famous Tavern (Seattle: Blue Moon Tavern, 1992)
Group Health Timeline (Seattle: HistoryLink for Group Health Cooperative, 1997)
Historic Photos of Seattle (Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing, 2006)
The National Trust Guide: Seattle (New York: National Trust for Historic Preservation/John Wiley & Sons, 1998)
The Rainier Club, 1888–1988 (Seattle: Rainier Club, 1988)
Rites of Passage: A Memoir of the Sixties in Seattle (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1995)
Routes: An Interpretative History of Public Transportation in Metropolitan Seattle (Seattle: Metro Transit, 1993)
The Seattle Aquarium's Guide to Life in the Sea (Seattle: City of Seattle, 1981)
Seattle & King County Timeline (Seattle: History Ink/University of Washington Press, 2001 & 2002)
Seattle University: A Century of Jesuit Education (Seattle: Seattle University, 1991)
The Woodland Park Zoo Guide (Seattle: Woodland Park Zoological Society, 1995)
To Serve the Greatest Number: A History of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (Seattle: University of Washington Press/Group Health Cooperative, 1996)
William J. Sullivan, S. J.: Twenty Years (Seattle: Seattle University, 1996)
Collaborations
With Heather MacIntosh: The Story of Union Station in Seattle (Seattle: Sound Transit/History Ink, 1999)
With Kit Oldham: Moving Washington: A Timeline of the Washington State Department of Transportation, 1905-2004 (Seattle: HistoryLink/University of Washington Press, 2005)
With Robert Courland: The Fairmont: The First Century of a San Francisco Landmark (HistoryLink for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, 2006)
References
^ abcdefghijLong, Priscilla (September 21, 2007). "Crowley, Walt (1947-2007)". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
^"Walt Crowley, citizen historian, dies at 60". Associated Press. September 22, 2005. Retrieved September 23, 2007.[dead link]
^Lewis, Mike (February 9, 2007). "Historian's voice still fighting to be heard". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
^"Jean Godden: Saying goodbye to our friend, Walt Crowley | Crosscut".
External links
HistoryLink.org
Cancer Claims Radio Host's Voice, National Public Radio, February 6, 2007, Crowley interviewed just before his larynx was removed.
Crowley interview, KUOW, July 29, 2005
April 07, 2023
walt, crowley, walter, charles, crowley, june, 1947, september, 2007, american, historian, activist, from, washington, state, first, entered, public, sphere, seattle, through, involvement, with, social, political, movements, 1960s, especially, underground, pre. Walter Charles Crowley June 20 1947 September 21 2007 was an American historian and activist from Washington state He first entered the public sphere in Seattle through his involvement with the social and political movements of the 1960s especially the underground press He later became more widely known as a local television personality and for his pioneering work as a local historian including co creating the website HistoryLink org 1 which he considered to be his crowning achievement 2 Walt CrowleyBornWalter Charles Crowley 1947 06 20 June 20 1947Ferndale Michigan U S DiedSeptember 21 2007 2007 09 21 aged 60 Seattle Washington U S Occupation s Historian journalist community activistSpouseMarie McCaffrey m 1982 Contents 1 Life 2 HistoryLink org 3 Personal life 4 Bibliography 4 1 Collaborations 5 References 6 External linksLife EditBorn in Ferndale Michigan the only child of engineer and inventor Walter A Crowley and Violet King now Kilvinger Walt lived in Royal Oak Michigan Flint Michigan the Washington D C area and Connecticut until 1961 when his father was hired by Boeing and moved to Seattle 1 Crowley graduated from Seattle s Nathan Hale High School winning state honors as an artist and briefly worked at Boeing as an illustrator Entering the University of Washington he became active in local socialist antiwar and civil rights campaigns In 1967 he joined Paul Dorpat s underground newspaper Helix as a cartoonist writer and editor The following year he ran for the Washington State House of Representatives on the Peace amp Freedom Party ticket 1 Crowley s service as mediator between the Seattle officials local leaders and the community s street people led to the founding of a youth hostel and social service agency called the U District Center which Crowley directed from 1970 to 1972 He later worked for the Seattle Model Cities Program and then for the city itself in various planning and outreach roles He returned to private industry in 1977 and ran unsuccessfully for the Seattle City Council 1 He had a variety of civic involvements afterwards including serving as president of the venerable civic organization Allied Arts Seattle s Blue Moon Tavern in 2007 The upper left sign from the 1960s was made in support of liberal Democratic governor Albert Rosellini In 1980 Crowley formed Crowley Associates which publishes guides to Seattle and provides services for many local political campaigns He was a columnist and commentator in many local forums most notably having a seven year run in a Point Counterpoint format with conservative John Carlson on KIRO television 1 Crowley wrote several histories of local civic institutions from the elite Rainier Club to the blue collar Blue Moon Tavern He led the campaign to save the Blue Moon from demolition ran the task force that drafted new laws to restore historic Downtown theaters and served on numerous other civic projects 1 HistoryLink org EditMain article HistoryLink In 1997 Crowley discussed preparing a Seattle King County historical encyclopedia for the 2001 sesquicentennial of the Denny Party His wife Marie suggested publishing the encyclopedia on the Internet 1 Alongside Paul Dorpat they incorporated History Ink on November 10 1997 with seed money from Priscilla Patsy Collins by birth a member of Seattle s wealthy and prominent Bullitt family 3 The prototype of HistoryLink org debuted on May 1 1998 and attracted additional funding for a formal launch in 1999 In 2003 HistoryLink org expanded its content to cover Washington state history Meanwhile History Ink continues focusing on the production of history books 1 Crowley and HistoryLink org have won many awards including The Pacific Northwest Historians Guild s 2007 History Award The Washington State Historic Preservation Office s award for media in 2001 The Association of King County Historical Organizations Award for best long term project 2000 Award for best book 2005 Alan Stein s history of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel 1 Personal life EditWalt Crowley married graphic designer and business associate Marie McCaffrey in 1982 1 In 2005 Crowley was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and fought it with characteristic stubbornness the night before his larynx was removed he held a Famous Last Natural Words party 4 He died at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle on September 21 2007 at the age of 60 after suffering a stroke following an operation for the cancer 5 Bibliography EditHelix Drawings 1967 1970 Seattle Medium Rare 1977 The Compleat Browser s Guide to Pioneer Square Seattle Pioneer Square Association 1981 The Continental Family Seattle Continental Mortgage and Savings Bank 1997 Forever Blue Moon The Story of Seattle s Most In Famous Tavern Seattle Blue Moon Tavern 1992 Group Health Timeline Seattle HistoryLink for Group Health Cooperative 1997 Historic Photos of Seattle Paducah Kentucky Turner Publishing 2006 The National Trust Guide Seattle New York National Trust for Historic Preservation John Wiley amp Sons 1998 The Rainier Club 1888 1988 Seattle Rainier Club 1988 Rites of Passage A Memoir of the Sixties in Seattle Seattle University of Washington Press 1995 Routes An Interpretative History of Public Transportation in Metropolitan Seattle Seattle Metro Transit 1993 The Seattle Aquarium s Guide to Life in the Sea Seattle City of Seattle 1981 Seattle amp King County Timeline Seattle History Ink University of Washington Press 2001 amp 2002 Seattle University A Century of Jesuit Education Seattle Seattle University 1991 The Woodland Park Zoo Guide Seattle Woodland Park Zoological Society 1995 To Serve the Greatest Number A History of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound Seattle University of Washington Press Group Health Cooperative 1996 William J Sullivan S J Twenty Years Seattle Seattle University 1996 Collaborations Edit With Heather MacIntosh The Story of Union Station in Seattle Seattle Sound Transit History Ink 1999 With Kit Oldham Moving Washington A Timeline of the Washington State Department of Transportation 1905 2004 Seattle HistoryLink University of Washington Press 2005 With Robert Courland The Fairmont The First Century of a San Francisco Landmark HistoryLink for Fairmont Hotels amp Resorts 2006 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j Long Priscilla September 21 2007 Crowley Walt 1947 2007 HistoryLink org Retrieved September 23 2007 Walt Crowley citizen historian dies at 60 Associated Press September 22 2005 Retrieved September 23 2007 dead link Cassandra Tate July 3 2003 Collins Dorothy Priscilla Patsy Bullitt 1920 2003 HistoryLink org Retrieved 2007 10 13 Lewis Mike February 9 2007 Historian s voice still fighting to be heard Seattle Post Intelligencer Retrieved December 23 2012 Jean Godden Saying goodbye to our friend Walt Crowley Crosscut External links EditHistoryLink org Cancer Claims Radio Host s Voice National Public Radio February 6 2007 Crowley interviewed just before his larynx was removed Crowley interview KUOW July 29 2005 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walt Crowley amp oldid 1110150987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
