Midwest Theater

The Midwest Theater is a brick commercial building in downtown Scottsbluff built in 1946 and distinguished by its rectangular, two-story Art Deco structure with upper stucco cladding. Inside, three-dimensional plaster scrolls rise up to 25 feet on each side of the screen, framed by colorful floral murals on walls and ceiling, while the front facade features a 60-foot steel tower topped with illuminated aluminum stars and a 50-foot canopy with neon lettering.

The theater was built in 1946 to replace the Egyptian Theatre, which had been destroyed by fire, providing the community with a new venue for movies and events. It operated as a movie house until 1996 when it closed, after which the Oregon Trail Community Foundation took ownership and helped establish a local volunteer group in 1998 to restore and maintain it for public use.

The name comes from the Midwest region the theater serves. Since 1998 a local volunteer group has run the building for public use, hosting films and community events. Inside, three-dimensional plaster scrolls rise up to 25 feet on each side of the screen, framed by floral murals on the walls and ceiling.

The theater is located in downtown Scottsbluff along Broadway and is easy to spot thanks to its large canopy and illuminated tower visible from a distance. Plan to arrive early if you want to explore the building itself and take time to appreciate its architectural details and interior design before events begin.

The 60-foot steel tower topped with illuminated aluminum stars is a detail to look for from blocks away on Broadway. Charles D. Strong designed the Moderne building, and Art Moore Contracting Co. built it in 1946; the theater joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.