St. Bonaventure University has more than its share of campus ghosts. Francis Hall, once called Christ the King Seminary, is said to be haunted by the spirits of deceased monks. Devereux Hall is famous for stories of its Black Mass. Legend has it that in the 1960s, the students gathered to conjure a spirit. They were interrupted by a staff member who put a stop to it, but folks still say the Black Mass brought evil spirits to the building. Also, WWI veteran Willie Cooper’s ghost is said to walk Devereux’s back wing where a war memorial once stood, and a ghostly friar jogs up and down the hallways at night. At De La Roche Hall, the ghost of a student killed in a fire is said to turn on the lights late at night on the third floor. Legend has it that he was trying to finish a paper when the fire broke out, and his ghost is attempting to finish his work.
If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know!
Rate this Haunted Place
What do you think? Is this place really haunted? Voice your opinion here! Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale.
Geographic Information
- Address:
- 3261 W State Rd
St Bonaventure, NY 14778
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 42.07483801165976, -78.47743535039626
- County:
- Cattaraugus County, New York
- Nearest Towns:
- Saint Bonaventure, NY (0.4 mi.)
Allegany, NY (1.4 mi.)
Olean, NY (2.5 mi.)
Westons Mills, NY (5.2 mi.)
Weston Mills, NY (5.4 mi.)
Portville, NY (7.4 mi.)
Limestone, NY (8.5 mi.)
Eldred, PA (9.4 mi.)
Foster Brook, PA (10.0 mi.)
Bradford, PA (11.9 mi.)
Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time.
Share Your Experiences
Comments (4)
Share Your Comments
Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
I live in Olean and I come to events and stuff here a lot and just feel eeriness… It’s a creepy place and it’s very old, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true.
At St. Bonaventure University, Devereux “Dev” Hall and Francis Hall are rumored to be haunted. In each dorm building, sinks in the rooms turn on by themselves. Many students have said that a light breeze blows through their rooms when the windows are closed, and some even hear whispers at night.
The third floor of Dev has the “runner,” a ghost of a friar that appears to run through the halls late at night. In the 1960s, a Black Mass was attempted on the fifth floor of Dev but was stopped by a friar. It is rumored that spirits were called to the building and haunt the fourth floor.
Staff in Francis Hall have seen the apparition of a young man in a plaid shirt while all students are home for breaks. He’s been seen in the basement and stairwells.
— Amanda Diedrich
I am trying to write an article about hauntings in Cattaraugus County. I have recently written about St. Bonaventure’s roots, so this would tie in nicely. Can I use information from here? Do you have more? Need immediately, or will table for another time if I hear from you too late for press time today. Thanks. Carol Fisher, Ellicottville
I was the corporate Chef for the campus, talk with the staff, they will tell you stories.