Frank Lesley, owner of the Stayton Hotel, built the Stayton Theatre in 1912 and leased it for a year to Ted Rizzo at his first location in the old store front on 2nd street. At the end of the lease, Rizzo moved his operation into part of the Oddfellow building and a Mill City man named Wadsworth took over the Lesley theatre for six months. It was he who name it the Star. At the end of six months Wadsworth pulled out and Lesley's 18 year old son, Oliver, managed the Star for about two years after which it was leased to half a dozen different people and finally sold in 1919 to Harry Humphries who, in turn, sold to George Keech in 1926. Keech installed the first sound projectors and he and his son, Ed, operated the theatre until selling it to Lawrence Spraker.

The movie posters on the walls are Perils Of Pauline 3rd Episode in 2 Parts and Hunted Down (1912) starring Wallace Reid.