The stadium was built in 1946 on New York State Route 17 (now Route 417) at the campus entrance west of Olean in a period of 77 days, largely built from stands transplanted to Olean from the Canisius Golden Griffins' football stadium after Canisius took up residence at Civic Stadium, where Saint Bonaventure had hoped to play marquee matchups if the football program's post-World War II revival was a success.
In February 1952, St. Bonaventure announced that it was suspending competition in intercollegiate football.
[4] The stadium remained vacant for several years after the football program was suspended.
[5] One sports writer described the stadium during this period as "lying there ever since, unburied, like Ebbetts Field, or Leadville or the old Slave Market in St.
[1] Portions of the bleachers went to Allegheny High School and Mount Morris.