When women were integrated into VPI, it was the first and only women's dormitory and was built on what was then the far corner of the campus near several large livestock barns used by the College of Agriculture that once stood near where Harper Hall now stands. When Hillcrest opened in 1940 it was promptly dubbed the "skirt barn" by VPI cadets. One of the Honors offices on the first floor used to be a "courting room" when Hillcrest Hall was the women's dormitory. Because visitation was not permitted in the residence hall, and women were not allowed to leave campus on dates, courting took place in this room. Young men would enter the room from one door and the young ladies would enter the room from another. Only a few feet away was the room where the house mother would be there to supervise.