The exterior is faced with Crab Orchard stone laid in patterns characteristic of Art Deco.

The neon-illuminated marquee and bulls-eye wall sconces in the interior are other characteristic elements of these styles.

[2][3] The Palace Theater opened in November 1938 with a screening of If I Were King, featuring Ronald Colman.

A subsequent citizen campaign for its preservation led to the city of Crossville purchasing the building in 1993.

The theater building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and was later restored with public financial support.