The construction of Morrill Hall (then known as the Agricultural Building) began in the Spring of 1922 with T. F. Powers and Co. in charge of the excavation for the building. The plans called for a three-story building (with a basement) measuring 55 feet by 145 feet. The plans also envisioned a north and south wing (exact duplicates of each other) added at a later date. The buildings' designers further proposed the construction of a 500 seat auditorium on the south addition or as a new addition on the west.
Morrill Hall's construction and planning caused some concern for the college's administrators. The original campus plan involved moving Francis Hall 225 feet southwest in order to make room for the Agricultural Building. The cost of moving Francis Hall ($20,000) and the impracticability of moving led the Board of Administration to alter the campus plan and place Morrill Hall on its present site.
With the location decided, construction proceeded as planned. President Coulter spoke at the laying of the cornerstone and the October issue of College and State stated the construction would be completed by Christmas with the building being open for the start of the winter short course.
The Agricultural Building opened in January 1923 and housed the laboratories, classrooms and offices of the School of Agriculture making it the only campus building solely devoted to agriculture. The devotion to agriculture became stronger after the addition of the north wing. In 1929, the State Legislature appropriated $95,000 for the wing's construction. The north wing (dimensions of 48 feet by 123 feet) was completed in 1930 and the Experiment Station and Extension Division (now called the Extension Service) moved in the following year.
Morrill Hall has undergone a major renovation project to meet the developing needs of the students and the School of Agriculture. The project began in 1975 with the sandblasting of the building's exterior. This was followed by the renovation of the basement, which was virtually unusable from the eight floods it suffered since 1946. The project ended in 1982 with the installation of an elevator, the installation of a new stairwell in the west wing, the creation of new offices and the relocation of all classrooms to the main floor. The total cost of the seven-year project was $600,000.
In 1987, Morrill Hall was rededicated. Today, it houses the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources, as well as the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extention Service.