The Ohiowa Auditorium, completed in 1940 and preserved in near original condition, is one of several Nebraska buildings constructed by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. The WPA, a federal government relief program, provided employment for local workers. During World War II the auditorium served as an entertainment center for soldiers from the nearby Bruning Army Air Field. A community landmark, the auditorium has also been used for dances, movies, roller-skating, craft shows, auctions, and as a polling place.