Walt Crowley facts for kids

Walter Charles Crowley (June 20, 1947 – September 21, 2007) was an American historian and activist from Washington state. He became known in Seattle during the 1960s. He was involved in social and political movements. He also worked with the underground press, which were independent newspapers.

Later, Walt Crowley became a local TV personality. He was also a pioneer in local history. He helped create the website HistoryLink.org, which he thought was his greatest achievement.

Walt Crowley's Life and Work

Early Years

Walt Crowley was born in Ferndale, Michigan, on June 20, 1947. He was the only child of Walter A. Crowley and Violet King. His father was an engineer and inventor. Walt lived in several places, including Royal Oak, Michigan and Flint, Michigan. In 1961, his family moved to Seattle because his father got a job at Boeing.

Walt graduated from Nathan Hale High School in Seattle. He was very good at art. He even worked briefly at Boeing as an illustrator.

Getting Involved

When Walt went to the University of Washington, he became active in many causes. He supported socialist ideas, worked against war, and joined civil rights campaigns. In 1967, he joined an underground newspaper called Helix. He worked there as a cartoonist, writer, and editor. The next year, he ran for a seat in the Washington State House of Representatives. He ran with the Peace & Freedom Party.

Helping the Community

Walt Crowley helped connect Seattle officials with people living on the streets. He worked as a mediator, helping them talk to each other. This led to the creation of the U District Center. This center was a youth hostel and offered social services. Walt directed the center from 1970 to 1972.

After that, he worked for the Seattle Model Cities Program. He also held different planning jobs for the city. In 1977, he went back to working for private companies. He also ran for the Seattle City Council, but he did not win. He stayed involved in many community groups. He even became president of Allied Arts, a well-known civic organization.

Seattle's Blue Moon Tavern in 2007. The sign from the 1960s supported liberal Democratic governor Albert Rosellini.

In 1980, Walt started Crowley Associates. This company published guides about Seattle. It also helped with many local political campaigns. Walt was a columnist and commentator for many local news outlets. He was especially known for his "Point-Counterpoint" debates with John Carlson on KIRO television. This lasted for seven years.

Walt wrote several books about local groups and places. These included the fancy Rainier Club and the working-class Blue Moon Tavern. He led the effort to save the Blue Moon Tavern from being torn down. He also helped create new laws to restore old theaters in Downtown Seattle. He worked on many other community projects too.

HistoryLink.org

In 1997, Walt Crowley thought about creating a history encyclopedia. It would be about Seattle and King County. This was for the 2001 celebration of the Denny Party's arrival. His wife, Marie, suggested putting the encyclopedia on the internet.

So, Walt and Paul Dorpat started a company called History Ink on November 10, 1997. They got money to start from Priscilla "Patsy" Collins. The first version of HistoryLink.org came out on May 1, 1998. It got more money and officially launched in 1999. In 2003, HistoryLink.org grew to include history from all of Washington state. History Ink still exists and focuses on making history books.

Walt 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) for Alan Stein's history of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

Personal Life

Walt Crowley married Marie McCaffrey in 1982. She was a graphic designer and worked with him in business.

In 2005, Walt was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. He fought it very bravely. The night before his larynx (voice box) was removed, he had a party called "Famous Last (Natural) Words." He passed away at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle on September 21, 2007. He was 60 years old. He had a stroke after an operation for his cancer.