Drayer Hall was the first residence hall in Dickinson’s history built by the College solely for women. It was also the first new building constructed on the Benjamin Rush campus, a twelve-acre tract which had been acquired from the Moore Estate in 1932. Construction was begun in November 1950, and the building was appropriately dedicated on what the College had designated as Women’s Day, May 1, 1952.

Drayer Hall was designed by Sydney E. Martin, and constructed at a cost of almost $785,000. The building was named in honor of Sumner M. Drayer (Class of 1902, by appointment) and and his wife, Agnes, the principal donors toward the capital campaign which financed the construction. In addition, Mary Sharp Foucht contributed funds to establish the Sharp Memorial Lounge in memory of her father, Alexander Sharp, Class of 1883.