Walking into the Egyptian Theatre in downtown DeKalb is like stepping into a piece of living history. You can feel the imprint of past generations. A musky aroma of worn upholstery tingles the nose — a strangely soothing smell. The ceiling looms overhead and the multicolored mosaic floor is almost too pretty to step on.

But the Egyptian is in need of repair — over $1 million worth. The theater has not been renovated in more than 25 years and major projects must be completed to restore and preserve the glamour of the historic building. Projects include replacing the roof, repairing the boiler, replacing the seats on the main floor, repairing structural elements and addressing electrical, plumbing and basement flooding issues. The list goes on, but you get the idea.

The Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., needs your help. If you have time, you can volunteer, or you can give financial support so the rich beauty of the Egyptian will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Last Sunday the Egyptian Theatre hosted an open house as a way of raising the community’s awareness of the support it needs. Guests were free to roam the halls, explore backstage and read about the theater’s lifeline at several tables displaying memorabilia. Refreshments were served and board members of the Preservation of the Egyptian Theatre group were present to answer questions and shed light on historical points of interest. PET is a nonprofit, completely volunteer-based organization. PET owns, maintains and staffs the Egyptian Theatre.

In the past, the theater has hosted events ranging from musical performers, most notably BB King, to plays, private parties, weddings and films. During his presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy even graced the stage of the Egyptian Theatre. The venue’s historical richness is endless. Elmer F. Behrens built the Egyptian in 1928 and 1929, using Ramses II, an Egyptian pharaoh, as the central theme. The theater was built while the entire country was infatuated with Egypt and the mystery of King Tut’s tomb. But rather than appearing tacky and tasteless, the Egyptian Theatre is elegantly and stylishly designed. In the beginning, the Egyptian showcased vaudeville performers and silent films. During the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, film was the main focus, with occasional live events. But in 1977, the plaster walls were crumbling, seats were dilapidated, the boiler hardly worked and the plumbing was practically shot. The owner gave the property to the city of DeKalb.

In 1978, a group of people joined together, formed PET, raised money and bought the building from the city. In 1980, the Egyptian became a national landmark, which qualified the theater to receive just over $2 million in a grant from the state. This money allowed PET to fully restore the Egyptian to its majestic original form.

Now, more than 25 years later, the Egyptian needs to be restored once again. In order to keep this historical treasure alive, please volunteer if you have time and donate if you can. The success of the theater depends on the support of the community, so do yourself and future generations a favor by ensuring the glamour of this historic beauty is preserved.

Steve Bartholomew is an opinion columnist for the Northern Star.