Crosby memorabilia to move to Bing’s former home on GU campus

Items once owned by Bing Crosby, a singer famous for his rendition of “White Christmas,” have found a new home on the Gonzaga University campus. A memorabilia collection owned by Gonzaga University will now be displayed in the Crosby House at 508 E. Sharp, the same home where Crosby grew up. A grand opening is planned for 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the house. The Crosby House is Craftsman-style home on the school’s campus built by Crosby’s father and uncles in 1913. Crosby lived in the home until he left for Hollywood in 1925. The home was purchased by the Gonzaga Alumni Association in 1978 and was taken over by Gonzaga University in 2008. Previously the Crosby collection has been on display in the Crosbyana Room of Gonzaga’s former Crosby Library since 1957. The items on display include gold and platinum records, plaques, sheet music, trophies and photographs. Crosby began donating items to the university in 1957. More items were added in 1993 from the Bing Crosby Historical Society in Tacoma. The collection draws thousands of visitors each year from across the U.S. and around the world. The collection will be open for viewing from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free.