McCormick Hall was named after Henry McCormick in 1930 and was opened in 1925. Henry McCormick was a "beloved and respected teacher of history and geography" who came to Illinois State in 1869. He became Vice President in 1892, taught until 1901, and served as Vice President until his retirement in 1912.

McCormick Hall was originally built as a gymnasium. By 1958, the needs of the student population had increased and exceeded the constraints of the facility and McCormick Hall underwent remodeling in 1961. With the construction of the Student Fitness Center, McCormick Hall underwent extensive changes. Re-opening in January 2011, the building maintained its historic façade on the exterior, while providing a variety of interior changes to create a state-of-the-art learning facility for Illinois State students.