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De La Roche Hall is a key building on the St. Bonaventure University campus. De La Roche Hall is the home to the hard sciences of St. Bonaventure University, this includes classes about biology, chemistry, physics, and computer sciences. De La Roche Hall was originally named Lynch Hall after Father Lynch. Lynch Hall was struck by lightening on April 18th, 1933. This devastating lightening strike burnt down the bell tower and top floor of Lynch Hall. Ronovations to Lynch Hall took place immediately afterwards and the building was renamed De La Roche Hall, after Father Joseph de la Roche d’Allion. Father de la Roche was a French missionary who was the“first white man to discover oil in the New World."

De La Roche Hall was originally named Lynch Hall. Lynch Hall was named after Father Lynch. Lynch Hall was a very impressive and monumental building that indicated the power that was housed within the building. The calling card of Lynch Hall was its impressive bell tower and the clock that would proudly show the time to the many scholars who were busily going about their studies below. Sadly, tragedy struck Lynch Hall on April 18th 1933. Lynch Hall was struck by lightening and the bell tower and the top floor were set on fire and destroyed. Renovations were for Lynch Hall were sent into motion as soon as possible and the top floor and bell tower of Lynch Hall were knocked down. The remainder of Lynch Hall was renovated and renamed De La Roche Hall after Father Joseph de la Roche d’Allion. Father de la Roche was a French missionary who was the “first white man to discover oil in the New World."

De La Roche Hall was originally home to all the classrooms, labs, and offices for the College of Arts and Sciences at St. Bonaventure University. St. Bonaventure University has continued to put in a large amount of money to renovate De La Roche Hall in order to keep the university on the forefront of scientific endeavors in various fields, such as genetics, ecology and more. This includes many renovations in the 1970s and early 2000s to keep De La Roche Hall on the cutting edge of scientific research. The largest effort put into De LaRoche Hall was the expansion with the Walsh Science Center in 2007. Federal funding for this project was secured by St. Bonaventure alumnus James Walsh. De La Roche Hall currently houses the hard sciences of the School of Arts and Sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, and computer sciences.

De La Roche Hall. University Archives, St. Bonaventure University. St. Bonaventure, NY.