The hall is named for Manasseh Cutler, a New England physician, botanist, and minister who wrote the University's charter in 1804.

In March 1812, Ohio University’s building committee asked General Rufus Putnam to draft a plan for a college edifice near the center of campus.

Cutler Hall was completed only 20 years after the White House and is the oldest academic building in the historic Northwest Territory.

The building is a centerpiece of the University's historic district and often used a photo backdrop for graduating seniors and other professional photography.

Often seen as a meeting spot on campus, many gatherings and other large congregations happen outside of Cutler Hall for student organizations to promote themselves and other university related purposes.