Bing Crosby.

He’s one of Washington’s most famous native sons. He enjoyed international fame and respect as a beloved singer and actor for decades, starting in the 1930s. Known especially for “White Christmas,” he was one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with over half a billion records in circulation. In the late ‘40s, polls indicated that he was the “most admired man alive.”

If you’re a Bing Crosby fan and want to learn more about his family or his Washington years, or if you want to learn more about your own family’s history, you’re invited to a free event in Spokane on Saturday, March 5.

“Road to Spokane: Bing Crosby’s Family History” will be held at Gonzaga University’s Wolff Auditorium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the doors opening at 8 a.m. The auditorium is in Jepson Center on the Gonzaga campus, 502 E. Boone Ave. You can learn more about the event’s program here.  An optional box lunch will be available for pre-order for $10 each.

Gonzaga University, Crosby family members, local heritage organizations and volunteer genealogists are teaming up with staff from the Washington State Library, Washington State Archives and Digital Archives to shine a spotlight on the Crosby family history and offer workshops that teach you how to research your own family history.

Space is limited, so if you want to go, you need to register! For more info and to register, call (360) 902-4171 or go to www.HeritageCenter.wa.gov .

The program is sponsored by the Washington State Heritage Center and Gonzaga University.