Like the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” residents of the tiny northeast Oregon town of Athena have finally fulfilled their wish for a cultural heart: a premier arts and performance venue on Main Street.

After 20 years of work by two generations of teenagers and adults to rebuild an old saloon-turned-silent movie house, reopening celebrations Oct. 24-26 will reveal the new Gem Theatre and Star Saloon .

“Athena has never had access to a stage with a really wonderful sound and lighting system,” said Rob McIntyre, a retired school band teacher who sparked the idea of revitalizing the building that had been vacant for almost half a century.

“It’s kind of a miracle,” he said.

McIntyre, the project’s first and only restoration manager, estimates more than 70,000 volunteer hours have bee

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