[2] A railroad spur was built to the backdoor of the auditorium that allowed performing companies to transport heavy equipment, props, and animals.

[2] At this time, various businesses occupied the flanking wings on either side of the theater's main entrance, and the top level served as apartments.

[5] On June 23, 1983, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its status as the oldest surviving theater in Sioux Falls, as well as its well-preserved architectural design.

[2] In 1994, the Sioux Falls Community Center purchased the King of Clubs building at 319 North Phillips, two plots to the south of the Orpheum, and renamed it the Anne Zabel Actor's Studio.

[5] They intended to join that building to the Orpheum with the "Link to the Future", creating one large theater complex spanning the block; construction began in 1995.

In 2000, the City of Sioux Falls purchased the Actor's Studio, the Orpheum Theater for $475,000, and the unfinished Link for $275,000 to prevent the complex from having to sell its furnishings and close.

[5] The Orpheum Theater is crafted in a blend of Neoclassical and Prairie School architectural styles, with its symmetrical, clean lines and geometric ornamentation.

It has a recessed front entrance sheltered by a metal marquee and two large flanking wings with plate glass windows on either side.

[4] Four of the six intricate murals that were painted on the friezes and ceilings had survived decades of neglect; two others were restored in 2009 by the Minneapolis-based Midwest Art Conservation Center.