It’s no secret that the 1930s ushered in remarkable change for the area surrounding present-day Fort Peck. Businesses were born and flourished because of the influx of people who moved to the area to construct the dam. While it was designed to be temporary, the government-owned town of Fort Peck nevertheless included many features of a permanent town, including a theater.

The Fort Peck Theatre was built in 1934 to entertain the 50,000 Army Corps of Engineers workers and their families who had arrived to work on the dam. Reminiscent of a Swiss-chalet, the interior of the theater featured open-truss wood construction with handcrafted light fixtures, fabricated in workshops right here in Fort Peck. Once the dam was completed, many businesses were closed, some even dismantled as the masses left Fort Peck, ushering in another change for this slice of Montana.

The theater survived to become a permanent facility, though the outlook wasn’t always great for the historic building. In the late 1960s, many of the town’s remaining original buildings were being destroyed. Fearing that the days were numbered for the Theatre, the Fort Peck Fine Arts Council was formed to save and preserve the historic theater. Since then, the curtain has been rising on reputable stage productions and many other artistic performances. In 1983, the Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today the Fort Peck Summer Theater is alive and well with performances running from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The energy, pride, and history is palpable from the minute you enter the theater, thanks in large part to the dedication of the Fort Peck Fine Arts Council whose mission to entertain through the performing arts, to educate and encourage youth in the arts, and to provide a venue for local and regional artists has created a beloved summer tradition for both the community and beyond.