The Orpheum has been a fixture of Main Street for over 100 years, even though in recent years the building has been used for other purposes. The building was acquired by a non profit group that is currently rebuilding it into a new theater. 

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The Orpheum was first established by 1912 as a single story building. It is not listed in the 1908 or previous Polk's directories. In 1912 it was under the management of AB Hager. In about 1917 the theater was completely remodeled and a second story added to the building. It operated as a motion picture theater for many years under the ownership of those including AB Hager, J.P. Cotter, the Burks, Guy Haselton and then the Buckmillers. In September of 1943, the theater caught fire. After the fire, the theater was boarded up and sat unused during war time. Locals report that a gang of miscreants gained access to the back doors of the boarded up theater and used the theater ruins as their hide out. 

 

An article in Boxoffice Magazine, dated Feburary 21, 1948 states that construction had begun on a 930 seat theater, replacing the destroyed Orpheum. GP Lilley is said to be the owner at this time, but the theater would be operated by the Gamble Interests of Portland. Ted Gamble sold his interest in the Baker Theater to Ted Jones (Jones Enterprises/Western Amusements) in 1949,  who operated the theater until the end of 1961.  

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Before GP Lilley took control of the property in 1962, the building was emptied and all the equipment shipped off to other Western Amusements properties. The seats from the Baker theater were used to completely reseat the Eltrym, and then the Eltrym's seats were donated to the Masonic Lodge in Halfway, the Pine Valley Grange in Halfway and the Methodist Church in Richland. The remaining equipment was sent to the Bar-Len Drive-In in Lenwood California. Even the carpet was removed, stored in the Eltrym and used to patch the worn Eltrym carpet. 

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George Prescott Lilley was a local businessman, who owned Baker Wood Products. His father-in-law was William Pollman. 

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