Baird Point (BRDPT) - North Campus, Arts & Athletics Sector

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Baird Point

Baird Point is an outdoor, Greek-style amphitheater located on the southern shore of Lake LaSalle. It was a gift to the university from the Baird Foundation and the Cameron Baird Foundation. The marble columns on the concrete platforms were once part of the old Federal Reserve Bank in downtown Buffalo, and from some years lay outside old Baird Hall on UB’s south campus before their relocation to the lake. The columns were dedicated as a memorial to servicemen and servicewomen. Baird Point also serves as a stage for the bands that play at student Springfest and Fallfest celebrations.

Lake LaSalle is a sixty acre man-made lake built in 1970 to provide flood control and water runoff. Today it is a popular spot for fishing and sunbathing. The lake, which is fed by two natural springs, attracts wild ducks, herons, and geese. Lake LaSalle's average depth is ten feet and its maximum depth is twenty-five feet.

Namesake

Frank Burkett Baird (1852-1939) was a philanthropist and successful industrialist. He came to Buffalo in 1888, built the Tonawanda Iron & Steel Company, developed the Hanna Furnace Company, and served on the board of the Pan American Exposition in 1901. He was "Father of the Peace Bridge" and a proponent of the construction that opened vehicular traffic between the U.S. and Canada in 1927. He chaired the UB Council and was a member of the board of the University Foundation. Mr. Baird served as trustee of Forest Lawn Cemetery and is buried there.

Historical research and photographs provided by University Archives.