The State Theater is one of Michigan’s most outstanding theaters remaining from the Golden Age of the movie palace in the 1920s.

The State is 148 by 148 feet in plan and contains three stories of storefronts and offices along the east street front facing Burdick and storefronts on the north.

Designed by nationally known theater architect, John Eberson and built by local contractor Henry VanderHorst, this elaborate movie palace was constructed as part of the W.S. Butterfield chain of theaters.

The building, which reportedly cost $350,000 was designed for live theater and vaudeville, motion pictures and musical concerts.

Performers appearing at the State have included Ethel Barrymore, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, magician Harry Blackstone, the Three Stooges and Sal Mineo.

The State is an “atmospheric” theater (a type pioneered by Eberson in his 1923 Majestic Theater in Houston, Texas) in which an elaborate lighting system reproduces the effect of the sky on a blue painted ceiling, with moving clouds, twinkling stars, etc – portraying in turn daylight, dusk, night and dawn.

The theater’s Barton organ was made by the Bartola Musical Instrument Company of Chicago.

The theater’s ornamental plasterwork and cut stone was provided by the Bullvant‐Lingg Company of Chicago

The original decorating and furnishing by Michael Angelo Studios of Chicago.

The State Theater was declared eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 (Building #83004623).