The Department of Campus Recreation began operating out of McCormick Hall in the 1960s, providing recreation opportunities for the student population of Illinois State University. The program moved to 220 North Main Street in Normal, the current site of the Outdoor Adventure Center. After a search for a larger facility, Campus Recreation found a new home at the site of a former ice rink on the corner of Beech and Willow Streets.

After significant renovations, the Student Recreation Building opened on March 14, 1988. This new facility provided space for cardio and weight training, racquetball, sport courts, and group fitness programming. The building also served as the home for Recreation Services, as it was known at that time, until its closure on December 15, 2010.

The department is currently known as Campus Recreation, and resides in the Student Fitness Center and McCormick Hall, enjoying its home in the heart of campus.