Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)

Egyptian Theatre
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois
Location	DeKalb, DeKalb County, Illinois
Coordinates	41°55′53″N 88°45′1″W / 41.93139°N 88.75028°W / 41.93139; -88.75028
Built	1928–29
Architect	Elmer F. Behrns
Architectural style	Egyptian Revival
NRHP reference No.	78003100[1]
Added to NRHP	December 1, 1978

The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due, in large part, to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The theatre was added to the National Register in 1978 and its 1,430-seat auditorium is currently DeKalb County's largest.

The building was designed by architect Elmer F. Behrns, who had an interest in Egyptology. The interior and exterior architecture reflect Egyptian cultural symbols. Stained glass work exhibits designs such as Ra, the Egyptian sun god and the scarab, a sacred Egyptian symbol. The building was nearly demolished in the 1970s but a restoration effort led by Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre (PET) saved the structure. Rumors have long surrounded the DeKalb Egyptian about secret messages allegedly hidden in the architecture and as well as ghost hauntings.^[2] While the theater maintains there are no hidden messages in the building the ghost stories have persisted throughout the years. The Egyptian Theatre operates a 42-week season with up to 125 events annually.