St. Bonaventure Barns

Barns at the college

Three barns on the St. Bonaventure campus housed horses, cattle and farm equipment.  There was also a piggery and greenhouse.  The buildings served the Franciscan friars for the production of milk and pork products.  Much of the feed for the livestock was grown on the 200 acre St. Bonaventure farm.

The first barn was built in 1912 and burned on Oct. 21, 1930.  The second and the third replaced it in 1931.  Farming continued until 1952 when it became too difficult to reconcile student class schedules with part-time work on farm.  The barns were used for storage until a second fire burned both to the ground on Nov. 15, 1970.

References:
"Saint Bonaventure Barns." Unattributed description in St. Bonaventure Archives.
Salvadori, Sylvia.  "Conflict of Silos, Schedules Ended Bona Farm in '52."  The Bona Venture.  25 Feb. 1949, ?.
Sullivan, Richard A. "Visit to Bonaventure Farm Offers Typical Barnyard Sights and Odors." The Bona Venture. 25 February 1949, ?. 

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For more information about these places, visit the St. Bonaventure University Archives in Friedsam Library.
Last updated:  01/14/03