The St. Bonaventure Friary
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St. Bonaventure
Friary
A view of the St. Bonaventure Friary from campus
The friars of Saint Bonaventure University are an integral part of the
university's history and campus life. The majority of the friars currently
reside at the St. Bonaventure Friary, which is located near the main entrance to
St. Bonaventure along Route 417. Over the years, the friars have resided in many
of Bonaventure's buildings, including the original
Monastery and Chapel,
Devereux Hall, and
Doyle Hall, before finally moving into the Friary in 1986.
To see a timeline of the friars' movements at St. Bonaventure,
click here.
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The Franciscan Friars first arrived in
Western New York in 1855. They initially lived at the McMahon House in
Ellicottville while they waited for the first college building, the
Monastery and Chapel, to be completed. In 1858, the friars
officially moved onto the campus of St. Bonaventure's College. They
lived in the Monastery which later was expanded to include a seminary
and church. |
| The Monastery and Chapel served as the friars' home for
nearly 75 years. However, on May 5, 1930, everything changed. A
devastating fire swept through the Monastery and Chapel, completely
destroying the building. In order to house the friars and seminarians, a
new wing was added onto
Devereux Hall, which had been recently constructed on campus.
Although the seminarians would move out of Dev and into
Christ the King Seminary
in 1951, Devereux Hall would remain home to the friars of St.
Bonaventure for over 30 years. |
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In 1961, a new friary was dedicated at St.
Bonaventure. Now called Doyle Hall, the
St.
Bonaventure friary included 100 dorm rooms for the friars, as well
as a chapel. The friars moved in immediately, freeing up much-needed
space for student housing in Devereux Hall. |
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| In the 1980s, partially due to the declining population
of the Franciscan community, and partially due to the university's need
for more student housing and office space, it was decided that the St.
Bonaventure Friary would be sold to the university. The funds that were
acquired by the Franciscans from the sale were used to build the new St.
Bonaventure friary, close to the main entrance to campus along Route
417. The new friary was dedicated on September 26, 1986, and the old
Friary began its new career as
Doyle Hall, providing dorm and office space for the campus
community. |
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A view of the St. Bonaventure Friary
from Route 417 |
| According to the 1987 Provincial Annals of
Holy Name Province, the St. Bonaventure friary was designed by the
Stetson-Harza architectural firm of Utica, New York. The main building
faces away from the road and towards campus, in order to maintain the
friary's close connection to St. Bonaventure University. The friary
itself is composed of several common living areas flanked by individual
living units. The common areas of the friary house the chapel, kitchens
and dining area, and the recreation room. To the East of the common
areas, each friar has his own bedroom and bathroom. The living quarters
located to the West of the common rooms are currently used for housing
visitors. |
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Timeline of Friars' movements |
| Year |
Location |
Notes |
| 1855 |
Ellicottville, NY |
The friars arrived from Italy in June. They moved
into the McMahon House in Ellicottville, where they remained until the
completion of the monastery and chapel in 1858. |
| 1858 |
Allegany, NY |
Construction of the
Monastery and Chapel completed, and it becomes home to the friars,
students, and seminarians. |
| 1930 |
Monastery & Chapel |
The Monastery and Chapel is completely destroyed by a
fire on 5 May. |
| 1930 |
Devereux Hall |
A west wing is added onto Dev as housing for the
friars and seminarians. |
| 1951 |
Francis Hall |
Construction of
Christ the King Seminary (later
Francis Hall) is completed, and the seminarians are moved to the new
building. The friars remain in Devereux Hall. |
| 1961 |
Doyle Hall |
Construction of the
St. Bonaventure
Friary (later
Doyle Hall) is completed. |
| 1986 |
New Friary |
The friars move into the newly constructed friary,
located near the main entrance to campus. The old friary is converted
into Doyle Hall. |