HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
Decatur's 1916 Beaux Arts theater built near the site of a fatal hotel fire, now a live concert and event venue
141 North Main Street, Decatur, IL 62523
Research updated September 2026
Age
Varies by event
Cost
$$$
Tickets are sold through Etix and the official box office; prices vary by event.
Access
Wheelchair OK
ADA-compliant seating is available; contact the box office in advance for accommodations.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1916 · 1915 Decatur Hotel and Arcade Building Fire · Beaux Arts Architecture · Decatur Entertainment History
The Decatur Hotel and Arcade Building stood on the northwest corner of Lincoln Square until fire destroyed them on April 21, 1915. Some accounts say two people died in the fire, an engineer and a traveling salesman; their names and the exact death toll are not documented.
The Lincoln Square Theater, designed by Aschauer and Waggoner in the Art Nouveau and Beaux Arts styles, opened October 31, 1916. How its footprint relates to the earlier hotel and arcade building is unclear.
The theater originally seated nearly 1,400 people and was built of steel, concrete, and fireproof brick. Houdini, Harry Blackstone, Ethel Barrymore, and Bob Hope played it in its early decades. It closed temporarily in May 2017 and reopened in 2022 as a concert and live-event venue operated by LST Events. American Hauntings, a Decatur paranormal tour operator, once held overnight investigations here; its last listed date was May 1, 2021, so check with American Hauntings for any new dates. Some accounts also tell of a long-term theater worker nicknamed 'Red' who is said to remain.
Sources
The Decatur Hotel and Arcade Building, on the northwest corner of Lincoln Square, were destroyed by fire on April 21, 1915. Some accounts link reported activity at the theater to victims of that fire; who they were, and how the theater's footprint relates to the earlier buildings, is not documented.
A third figure, nicknamed 'Red,' is reported by people who have worked in the theater for long periods. Accounts of Red differ: American Hauntings describes a long-term worker who died on the premises, while a folklore directory describes a one-armed stagehand, said by some to have lost the arm in World War I or in a catwalk fall, who reportedly died in his sleep at the theater in 1927. Red belongs to theater tradition rather than documented history.
Investigators on American Hauntings' past overnight investigations reported apparitions, moving seats and objects, footsteps, and figures in the balcony and mezzanine. The last listed investigation date was May 1, 2021; check with American Hauntings for any new dates.
Notable Entities
American Hauntings operates ticketed overnight ghost hunts inside the Lincoln Square Theatre, one of the primary venues in their Decatur haunted tour portfolio. Investigators have access to the stage, basement, and corridors associated with reported activity.
Lincoln Square Theater hosts concerts, performances, and community events with event-specific Etix or box-office tickets. ADA-compliant seating is available; contact the box office in advance for accommodations. Professional cameras and audio/video recording devices are not permitted; bags are subject to search.
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