State Theatre
Why it's listed
Built in 1945-46 on Oak Street in downtown Red Bluff, the State Theatre is a Streamline Moderne movie house of cast-in-place reinforced concrete, with a small barbershop built into its front. It replaced an earlier theatre lost to fire. Wartime shortages delayed the marquee and pylon sign until 1947, and the facade was never fully finished. Inside, a semicircular lobby with extensive original neon leads to a pie-shaped auditorium that once seated over nine hundred in balcony, loge and front sections. Original murals of winged stallions and nymphs, streamlined half walls and original seats survive. Later partition walls added in 1980 and 1992 have been removed. The theatre is significant for its role in local entertainment and social life from 1946 to 1955. It was the county's only movie theatre and, because of its shallow stage, also served as a public venue for graduations, visiting performers and the annual Bull Sale parties.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the theatre was important to Red Bluff's entertainment and social life from 1946 to 1955. It was the county's only movie theatre and, with its shallow stage, also the main venue for civic events such as graduations and the annual Bull Sale parties. It retains good exterior and interior integrity, including original murals, seats and neon lighting.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02000372, listed April 17, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 333 Oak St., Red Bluff |
|---|---|
| County | Tehama County |
| Listed | April 17, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000372 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1946-1955 |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Moderne (Streamline Moderne) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a theatre; the auditorium was recently returned to its original single-screen layout after earlier partitioning into two and then three theatres. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.17640, -122.23533 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02000372.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7603577
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.