The Walton Theater opened for operation in 1914.  During the late 1940’s, in addition to running feature films and hosting vaudeville shows, the Walton staged local “Amateur Nights.”   A typical weekend night at the Walton would include a feature movie, local talent acts, newsreels and a short comedy. By the 1970’s, the Walton Theater was closed and on the verge of crumbling.  In the early 1980’s, a project spearheaded by local resident, Larry Striplin, and singer, Anita Bryant, was launched to restore and enlarge the facility to feature theater productions and movies and to host special community activities. After five years of planning and construction, the Walton Theater opened in May, 1985 as the Performing Arts Center. The Performing Art Center ceased its operation in the 1990s.