Jump to: HISTORY -- IGNATS THE MOOSE -- DIRECTIONS

Zahm House is one of the 29 residence halls and one of the 15 male dorms on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Zahm is situated between Cavanaugh Hall and its rival hall Keenan Hall on the North Quad, just east of the famous Golden Dome. Zahm houses 206 undergraduate residents in 103 rooms on four floors in addition to a basement.

History

Built in 1937, Zahm House is home to 206 men who proudly refer to themselves as Zahmbies. Zahm is named for the Holy Cross priest, Father John Augustine Zahm, CSC, who graduated from Notre Dame in 1871. Zahm was one of the first residences in North Quad at Notre Dame, and since it was erected at (then) the northern end of campus, Zahm was the furthest hall from the center of campus and the majority of academic buildings. In the early days of the University, rooms were picked by students with the highest GPAs first, and Zahm's remote location made it a traditional last pick. For that reason, Zahm became home mostly to students with the lowest GPAs who, not so coincidentally, also maintained reputations as the more "social" students on campus. That, coupled with the Hall's distance from the school's rule-enforcing authorities, made Zahm an infamous locale for debauchery, a rarity at an otherwise austere university.

In the 1960s, the University dropped academic requirements for first housing picks, and students were henceforth assigned randomly to residence halls and houses before they arrived on campus their freshman year. Regardless, Zahm has maintained its reputation, perpetuating traditions in the forms of secret initiation rites and ceremonies that continue to this day.

Zahm is well known for its tight-knit community and "open-door" policy. Few halls have as much spirit or as deep a commitment to loyalty and brotherhood.

The brothers of Zahm always take interhall sports as seriously as the other dorms, and the frequent victories brings great pride. During the years of 1997-1999, Zahm Hall had the distinction of being the champion of the campus-wide broom-ball tournament for Late Night Olympics. In 1992 an undefeated Zahm team took the interhall football championship. They also won it in 2005. In 2008 Zahm's hockey team, Fear, capped an undefeated season with a championship win.

At sporting events, Zahm residents are easily identified by the signature X they make with their arms during the Celtic Chant. Legend says that a Keenan resident once invented the fist pump routine that replaced the original X done by the student body during this song and in protest, Zahmbies continue to hold the X up to this day.

Zahm is also known for its longstanding tradition of community service. In the school year of 2008-2009, Zahm started supporting the Robinson Community Learning Center, an after-school program for children. The profits from Zahm's Food Sales (a pizza shop in the basement) go to the RCLC. Men from the hall also volunteer at the center to provide activities for "Fun Fridays." Additionally, Zahm has a history of winning the campus-wide coat drive, called "Project Warmth."

On March 27, 2007, the Notre Dame Student Senate finally passed a resolution originally proposed by Zahm veteran Pat Knapp and championed by Zahm senator Luke Derheimer to officially recognize Zahm Hall as "Zahm House," a name applied Zahm Hall since 2003. March 27 is now celebrated as "Zahm Independence Day" with a re-enactment of the Revolutionary War on North Quad with water balloons, with freshmen acting as the British (administrators) and upperclassmen overwhelming them as Americans (residents of Zahm).

During the summer of 2009, Zahm House underwent a multi-million dollar renovation including much-needed new windows, bathrooms, and new basement furnishings.

The Zahmbies fought valiantly in the Winter War of 2010, leading the charge for North Quad and attempting a gallant defense of Stonehenge, the Peace Memorial.

Ignats the Moose

Ignats the Moose is the official mascot of Zahm. In the 1970s, a few residents of Zahm House were on a trip in Canada when they came across a ski lodge that was in the process of closing down. Ignatus, the owner of the lodge willingly gave the men a mounted moose's head for free. The boys strapped the animal to the roof of their car and drove back to University of Notre Dame. The dorm immediately accepted its new mascot and it was named "Ignats" in honor of its former owner. Ignats was mounted in the Lounge of the dorm's basement and has hung there ever since, keeping watch over various dorm activities from hall government to dances. Although Zahm residents are referred to as "Zahmbies" and their football team is named The Rabid Bats, the moose is the official symbol of Zahm. Various likenesses of Ignats can be seen on dorm T-shirts as a man with a moose head, and in the dorm's unofficial seal as moose antlers.

Soon after the new mascot arrived, Ignats was soon brought to Notre Dame's Basketball games. A pattern developed when Ignats was brought to a game, the team would win. However, one game, one of the ushers refused to allow Ignats into the arena and the Irish lost the game that night. The basketball coach at the time, Richard "Digger" Phelps, found out about the incident, and made sure from then on that Ignats would be allowed in any basketball game. Today, Ignats is bolted to the basement wall of Zahm in order that Keenan Hall, Zahm's rival dorm, or any other dorm does not steal or vandalize the beloved mascot. It has become a tradition that whenever it is a girl's first time in Zahm's basement, she is obligated to stand on a chair and give Ignats a kiss.

Directions to Zahm

From the main/front entrance to Notre Dame (facing the Golden Dome):
You should now be heading down Notre Dame Ave facing the Golden Dome. Take your first left onto Holy Cross Drive. You should see a security guard building. After getting past the security station, continue on Holy Cross Drive for a little over a mile. After you pass Sorin Ct on your right and see that you are behind the Golden Dome, you will need to turn into the next parking lot on your right. If you pass the Notre Dame fire department on your right and the power plant on your left, you have gone to far. To reach Zahm, continue down the left side of the parking lot. Follow that small road and eventually you will come upon Zahm and Zahm Hall’s sign on your left.

From the rear entrance (past Stepan Center):
Coming down St. Joseph’s drive you will pass the Stepan Center on your left (it looks like a giant golf ball). You will pass a gate and come to a four way intersection. Turn right onto Holy Cross Drive. Turn into the first large parking lot on your left. To reach Zahm, continue down the left side of the parking lot. Follow that small road and eventually you will come upon Zahm and Zahm Hall’s sign on your left.