The Rex Theatre in Orchard, NE.
The Orchard Historical Society (OHS) was formed in 1989. The original board acquired a one-room schoolhouse and moved it to Orchard, Nebraska. The District 57 school is a step back in time to what the school looked like in the past. The Rex Theatre was opened in 1915 and was a movie theatre until 1970, and after that was used for storage. In 1992, the Rex Theatre became available and the Orchard Historical Society purchased the building. With the help of many volunteers and the Orchard Public School Industrial Arts students, the theatre was renovated to what it is today.
District 57 School in Orchard, NE.
Currently, the Rex Theatre houses Orchard and Orchard Public School memorabilia. Over the years, the Rex Theatre has held numerous Tour of Homes events at Christmas, done many fundraisers, hosted melodramas, hosted the Fallen Hero Display, and served monthly meals to the community. In the last two years, the Orchard Historical Society digitized all of The Orchard News newspapers (OHS Digital Archive Website) from 1902 to 2006 and the Orchard High School yearbooks from 1912 to 2010.
Orchard is located in northwest Antelope County. The Orchard Historical Society’s mission is to preserve the valuable history and heritage of the town and surrounding area. Run by a small group of volunteers, the Society is also involved in the Northeast Nebraska Heritage Network (Facebook), which supports historical museums and societies in Northeast Nebraska.
The Orchard Historical Society is a non-profit organization and relies on donations for the upkeep of the theatre. Currently, the society is fundraising for insulation in the theatre’s ceiling.
The Rex Theatre is located at 225 Windom Street, and the District 57 school is right next door. We are open by appointment by contacting 402-394-1560. You can find us on Facebook, Orchard Historical Society.
– Bev Krutz, Orchard Historical Society, April 2025
