Emerson Hall was the first building constructed on the IU Medical Center campus as part of the Indiana University School of Medicine.

In 1916, the Indiana Medical College suffered severe water damage that resulted in a large portion of the space unusable.

Following the United States entry into World War I in 1917, Indiana University trustees approached Governor James P. Goodrich to create a new medical training school in Indianapolis.

[2] A new central laboratory was constructed in the basement of the south wing to consolidate the many small departmental labs into a single location.

In 1985, Bledsoe and Associates Inc. were awarded $785,900 to renovate Emerson Hall by completely redoing the fifth floor and adding six labs, operating rooms, and offices.