Speaking of Bing Crosby, I thought people might want to see what gave Harry Lillis Crosby the nickname of Bing. According to the most reliable sources, including Bing himself, he was a fan of the Sunday newspaper comic feature titled, "The Bingville Bugle." One of his neighbors, a teenager, took to calling him "Bingo from Bingville."

The "o" was later deleted.

Here's an edition of the Bingville Bugle printed in the Spokesman-Review in 1909, right around the time Bing was acquiring that nickname. It's a parody of a backwoods newspaper, complete with creative spellings.

Hey Jim
This is great stuff. Thanks for making the effort to put it on your new blog. Keep up the good work.
Alison

We came across a 1913 edition in an antique store featuring the results of a "local" fire: "The Red-Tungd Monster of Flaims Visited our Midst Last Thursday--The Fire Dept Responded Prompt, but, Alas, Too Late." A great header cartoon showing the loyal firefighters rushing with bucket, hose and ladder, but unable to save Decon Butterworth's hen coop and 14 hens and roosters! Thanks for having this site out here.