Peery’s Egyptian Theater was born out of the worldwide “Egyptomania” sparked by the 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb. After their Arlington Hotel burned down in 1923, the Peery family rebuilt on the site, commissioning architects Leslie Hodgson and Myrl McClenahan to design a grand Egyptian-themed “Showplace of the West.” The theater opened in July 1924 with twinkling star lights, neon sunsets, and its first film, Wanderer of the Wasteland. Despite challenges through the Great Depression, mid-century remodels, and competition from modern multiplexes, the theater remained a cultural hub for decades. After falling into disrepair and closing in the 1980s, the community—led by the Friends of the Egyptian, now the Egyptian Theatre Foundation—undertook an extensive restoration. Reopened in 1997 as a fully equipped multi-use venue, Peery’s Egyptian Theater continues to shine as one of Ogden’s most iconic historic landmarks.