In the early 1800's, William and Eleanor Kendall owned much of the land in this area, which was known for it's beauty and natural springs. In 1850, Elias Drake purchased the property and named it Tawana Springs. Elias built a health spa resort and numerous summer cottages. His idea proved to be a failure, so he sold the property to the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1855. The church founded the first private, predominately black college in the United States a year later. Wilberforce University was named named after William Wilberforce, a prominent 18th century abolitionist.

This Colonial Revival building was designed by a leading 20th century Columbus architect named Frank L. Packard. Andrew Carnegie and Miss E.J. Emery generously provided the funds for the construction. Emery Hall was built in 1913 as a woman's dormitory. The facility was large enough to accommodate 120 students.

On April 4, 1974, an F5 tornado touched down near Xenia at 4:30 p.m. The massive tornado left a path of destruction throughout the area. The estimated damage exceeded $4,000,000. More than 1,600 people were injured, and 33 people lost their lives that day. Xenia was declared a disaster area, and the American Red Cross and Ohio National Guard arrived to assist with the rescue and clean up. The twister reportedly leveled nearly 70% of the Wilberforce campus. Despite the carnage, somehow, Emery Hall survived.

In 2005, Emery Hall was recognized for it's historic architecture and placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Today, funding is being sought for the restoration.