Students have made Barnes Hall their Central Michigan University home since 1951. This weekend they’ll have the opportunity to walk the halls of the decades-old residence hall one last time.
Residents of Barnes and Robinson halls, along with the Central Michigan University Alumni Association, have organized the Barnes Final Season Open House. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 20, from 2 to 4 p.m.
The university plans the demolition of Barnes Hall following this spring semester to make way for campus improvements.
"Barnes has been around for a long time," says Madison Thayer, a junior at CMU responsible for much of the planning of the open house event.
"There have been lots of memories and relationships formed in the hallways here so we wanted to give it the celebration that it deserves."
![]()
Looking at the registration rolls so far, Thayer says that planned attendees include former residents from 1977 to today.
Plans for the Open House include outdoor activities like volleyball, cornhole, and frisbee. Guests are also invited into the residence hall for one last peek at their former stomping grounds. In the basement there will be maroon and gold markers for guests to write messages and their names on the building walls.
For those unable to attend, the hall will remain open to alumni visits through Saturday, April 27.
"There was a high demand for this event from CMU Alumni as Barnes will be closing its doors permanently this spring. Construction is set to begin right after commencement," says Katie Neu, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement at the Carlin Alumni House.
"The affinity for living in Barnes Hall is unlike any other residence hall on campus, and our community has really rallied around the closing."
Visit the Central Michigan University Alumni Association online to register for the open house.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.