Then and Now

Then and Now Perry Hall nears 100 years of serving timeless grandeur at MSU

Perry Hall was built in 1921 in the heart of then-Mississippi A&M College. The building’s Late Gothic Review style, which incorporates large wooden arches supporting a gabled roof, is more suggestive of a stunning cathedral than a cafeteria. Once the largest college cafeteria in the United States, the building was also used as a dance hall and an indoor football practice site. The cafeteria would serve campus as A&M evolved into Mississippi State College and ultimately Mississippi State University. In 1993, Jane Perry of Spanish Fort, Alabama, provided MSU with a $1.5 million gift annuity to renovate and preserve the cafeteria. The gift was a memorial to her late husband, George D. Perry, a 1919 graduate and 1972 MSU National Alumnus who presided over the MSU Foundation board for a decade. In recognition of Perry's long association with his alma mater and the significant gift, the cafeteria became Perry Hall. The historic landmark remains a centerpiece of campus dining. The Perrys are also remembered for their gift to build the Carillon Tower at the Chapel of Memories.