McLennan Community College on Thursday celebrated the grand opening of the newly rebuilt Cameron Hall — a project that preserves a piece of Waco’s history while creating new space for the community.
The new building will serve as a permanent home for the MCC Foundation and as a venue for events, meetings and community gatherings.
Originally built by William Waldo Cameron in the 1920s, the home was once a pillar of the community — a place known for its gatherings of businessmen and social events. For four decades, it housed ArtCenter Waco. But years of wear and shifting ground left the structure in danger of collapse.
“We started hearing serious talk about structural problems here in 2017,” said Kim Patterson, former executive director of the MCC Foundation. “The engineers’ reports painted a bleak picture, and then began the soul-searching: what to do with the Cameron House.”
Patterson said the foundation considered renovating the house, but the damage was too severe. Still, simply demolishing the historic building didn’t feel right.
“It just didn’t sit right with any of us to erase this chapter from our community’s story,” she said.
That’s when the idea emerged to rebuild the Cameron House from the ground up.
MCC President Johnette McKown said construction cost about $5 million. She’s been involved with the property since 1989, making the project a personal milestone.
“Completing this project is also a dream of mine — that we were able to retain the history for the community,”McKown said.
The new Cameron Hall incorporates the home’s original courtyard but features an entirely rebuilt structure. McKown said every detail was designed to honor the past while creating space for new memories.
“We really captured what the old house felt like,” she said. “When you go out the back door and look up, you’d think it’s the old house.”
Patterson said she hopes the new Cameron Hall continues the home’s long tradition as a place where the Waco community can come together.
“Beginning tonight, Cameron Hall is again a jewel of our community – a place where people gather to celebrate the most important times of their lives,” she said.
Cameron Hall now houses the MCC Foundation’s offices, a large event space and the Johnette McKown Courtyard. It also features a Legacy Wall that tells the story of the Cameron family’s lasting impact on Waco.
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