The Lost City of DeMile

By Crusader1307

Another ‘’Lost City’’ Tale which started as  ‘’Urban Legend ‘’ and became actual fact – came to the vast scrubs and lower Deserts outside of San Luis Obispo (75-miles from Los Angeles). The ‘’Lost City’’ was actually a Hollywood Set built by American Film Director and Producer Cecile B. DeMile in 1923. While DeMile is well noted for His Biblical epics of the 1950s, few remember that He started in The ‘’Silent Film Era’’. In fact, His Classic 1950s Technicolor splash ‘’The Ten Commandments’’ was really a ‘’remake’’. And in this our Tale comes forth. DeMile spent the unheard of sum (then) of $750,000 (USD) to have an exact Replica of an Ancient Egyptian City (complete with Monuments) – constructed n The Desert. So exacting in fact, that it was almost identical to Ancient Egypt. Made of wood, canvas and some stone materials – The City was used for several large scale scenes in the original 1923 ‘’Ten Commandments ‘’. Everything, even down to painting and such was recreated.

And after Production was wrapped? The City was simply left. Although most of it was disassembled and buried in the sand, a lot of the structures were left intact. In time (nearly 100 years in fact) the sands (just as the real Cities of Egypt), buried all traces. Several Film Students in the 1980s, did research on what became known as ‘’The Lost City of DeMile’’ and found several locations – to include a 110-foot tall full replica of the famed Sphinx. But it estimated that it would take Millions of USDs to unearth. Plans were set forth to perhaps unearth the Lost Set and turn it into some form of Attraction. But these ideas have long since lost interest for most. Strangely, several Colleges over the years have used The ‘’Lost City’’ for their Archaeology studies, teaching proper recovery techniques. So yes, there is in fact a ‘’Lost Egyptian City’’ buried in California…..as it were!