900 Stewart Avenue, Egyptian Revival building in Ithaca, New York, United States

The building at 900 Stewart Avenue sits on a natural ledge below street level and overlooks Fall Creek and Ithaca Falls directly. The structure was constructed in Egyptian style and later updated with modern features including renovated windows, skylights, and a teak penthouse extension.

Construction of this Egyptian-inspired structure began in 1925 as a meeting place for the Sphinx Head Society, a student organization at Cornell University that raised funds for the project. The building was later transformed into a private residence and underwent modern architectural changes.

The Sphinx Head Society, a Cornell secret society founded in 1890, built the tomb as its meeting house; members passed between cloak and storage rooms into a long rectangular hall lit by a few wall sconces, with wooden pews along bare stone walls. It is one of only two Egyptian Revival buildings in Tompkins County, the other being the Masonic Temple downtown.

The building sits on private property with security systems in place and is not easily accessible from the street since it rests on a ledge below. Your best option to see it is to view it from the Creek side or photograph it from suitable nearby vantage points.

The building began as a secret society meeting place and was later purchased by renowned astronomer Carl Sagan, who converted it into his private home starting in 1981. Sagan made significant architectural modifications to transform it into his personal residence.