100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BING'S BOYHOOD HOME

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Bing Crosby's Boyhood Home, 508 E. Sharp Ave., Saturday, October 26, 2013; 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. To celebrate this home's 100th anniversary, the Advocates of the Bing Crosby Theater will be hosting an open house and cake during Gonzaga's Fall Family Weekend.

This event is free and open to the public. In July 1913, Harry and Catherine Crosby moved with their six children (No. 7 on the way) into the nine-room, two-story home, Bing Crosby's father, had the house built to accommodate his large family. Catherine had purchased the property for $1 from the Pioneer Educational Society, a Jesuit organization that owned much land around Gonzaga. Numerous Catholic families built their homes in this neighborhood, which became known as "the Holy Land" or "the Little Vatican."

The house served as the Crosby family's home for 23 years, including when Bing attended Gonzaga High School and Gonzaga University (1914-24). The C. P. Higgins family purchased the home from the Crosby family in 1936 for $3,600, and owned it until 1978. The Gonzaga Alumni Association purchased the house in 1980. The Crosby Alumni House was used for alumni events with staff offices upstairs unitl 2010, when the Alumni Association moved to the Heutter Mansion across the street. Afterwards, the Crosby House was used for office space for a couple of departments.

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