The State Theatre on J Street is a 1934 Art Deco cinema that survived the wholesale demolition of small-town movie palaces in the 1970s and '80s. After running as a second-run and Spanish-language cinema for decades it was rescued by a non-profit and reopened in the 1990s as an independent and arthouse house.
The lobby keeps its original terrazzo floor and chevron-patterned walls; the auditorium has the deep red curtains and proscenium murals of the period. Programming is a mix of independent releases, classic film series, and live music. The marquee, lit up on Saturday nights, is one of the prettiest sights in downtown.