Opened in 1939, the Gem Theater was built in what was once a feed store. Simply decorated seating about 250 patrons, the Gem burned to the ground on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day, along with much of the rest of the block. The building stood vacant until the Cleburne County Arts Council ran a successful campaign to renovate the GEM. The restored GEM Community Theater opened with the play "Steel Magnolias" in 1998 and continues to provide a wide variety of excellent live entertainment.