The first newspaper clipping I could find for the Electric Dusk was in January 2013, when it was at 240 W. 4th St. Its web domain appears to have first activated in late 2012, so somewhere around there would be its opening date.
The San Bernardino County Sun ran an article on April 7, 1981 saying construction of the Balsam Road Drive-In (not yet named) would begin in two weeks and end in June if all went well. Owner Jack Baldock said it would accommodate 528 vehicles and cost about $300,000.
According to Baldock, “A screen has been up at this site for several years, but the project was delayed until this time.” He said the new drive-in would not affect the operation of the Joshua Drive-In, which Baldock also owned.
The Joshua was still included in the Motion Picture Almanacs' final drive-in list in the 1988 edition. Of course, that doesn’t prove that it was still operating by then.
A Victorville Daily Press article in 2015 mentioned that the Joshua was the last drive-in to remain open in Victorville until it closed “in the 1980s”. The Joshua was mentioned in Los Angeles Times advertisements as late as December 1981.
In the book Historic Movie Theatres of New Mexico by Jeff Berg, he writes that “the Chief Drive-In entertained the masses prior to 1955 until 1980. It allowed for 250 automobiles.” No other details nor source notes.
Sorry, Kenmore, but that’s the Mountain View Drive-In on Mechem Drive.
The Downs Drive-In, as its name suggests, was across the highway south of the Ruidoso Downs race track. The Ladera Apartments are there now, though you can see the old entrance and exit paths between the apartments and US 70.
114 Dipaolo Hill Dr, Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346 is the Ladera’s address, and that’s the closest I can find that works on Google Maps.
Apparently it was real. An AP story from December 1955 mentioned an armed robbery at the Sunset Drive-In in Hobbs.
The Sunset did not advertise in the local Hobbs Daily News in the summer 1952 or 1960 issues I checked. (Very spotty availability online.)
The Motion Picture Almanac series included the Sunset in its drive-in for its 1957-65 editions. It had a capacity of 600 cars, and its owner was listed as O.O. Knotts.
The ticket booth, ramps and concession building are still clearly visible on Google Earth as I type.
The drive-in shows up on the 1973 topo map at Historic Aerials. It looks active from the 1969 aerial photo, and the screen is still there in 1997. It’s still on the 2001 topo map, but by the 2005 aerial photo, the screen is gone.
Aha! I found a second drive-in theater site in the 1955 topo map on Historic Aerials. The Circle B was on the west side of town at 3706 West Main Street, and Google Street View still shows the concrete driveway-to-nowhere there. (It’s also on the 1978 topo map there, and the 1997 aerial photo shows more suggestion of ramps.)
So the Circle B was different than the Hermosa. The MPA mentions above suggest that the Circle B closed in the early 1960s but stayed intact enough for the 1978 topo map to include it.
Also, I just made this clipping from the Current-Argus of July 6, 2008. It’s a long retrospective of Bill Bartlett, son of Ray, who ran the motion picture business of Carlsbad and Artesia. In particular, his dad “had the Valley Theater and Hermosa and Circle ‘B’ drive-ins running at different times in Artesia.”
In Flagstaff’s Arizona Daily Sun from Sept. 25, 1976:
“(25 Years Ago in the Sun) … Harry Nace and Ray Olmstead have begun construction of the area’s first drive-in type theater, Guy Ellis, manager of Northern Arizona Theaters Inc., which will operate the establishment, said today.”
The Mt. Elden advertised in the Daily Sun through at least October 1977. A January 1978 police blotter note mentioned vandalism there, but by May 1978 it was being referred to as the “now-defunct” Mt. Elden Drive-In Theater.
The July 17, 1955 Arizona Republic included Holbrook’s 66 Drive-In in a movie ad with lots of out-of-town theaters. The 66 was showing Saskatchewan, starring Shelley Winters.
The Arizona Republic ran the following note on Sept. 19, 1956: “Kingman now has a drive-in theater, The Sage, managed by Ira Rawlings. Rawlings also manages the States Theater in Kingman. The Lang Theater Corp. owns both theaters.”
High winds toppled the screen a few months later, per an AP story printed Apr. 7, 1957 in the Republic.
According to Historic Aerials, the screen faced east to an unusually rectangular field. It was still there in 1980, but the whole lot had been taken over by the USPS by 1997. Topo maps listed it in 1965-76, then gone in 1983.
Motion Picture Almanac mentions:
1955-59: Owner Harry L. Nace Theas., Inc. (no capacity listed)
This note is based on info from the Albuquerque Journal and the Albuquerque Tribune. Because I’m tired of typing Albuquerque, I will refer to them as simply the Journal and the Tribune.
The 66 first opened on Aug. 30, 1949, per this Journal clipping at Newspapers.com. Historic Aerials shows it in place in 1951.
When did the 66 first close? The local theater chain was sold back to Texas interests in early 1956, and that might have been when the decision was made. There were Journal ads on June 1 for the Sunset, Duke City, Tesuque, Terrace, Star and Cactus, but not the 66. An advertisement in the Journal for July 1, 1956 proclaimed: 66 Drive In Theatre CLOSED! Attend your Cactus and Star drive-ins
The site became the 66 Micro-Midget Speedway, per a May 15, 1957 article in the Tribune. The one-tenth mile racing oval was fronted by 4800 capacity grandstands to the north and south. Opening Day was set for June 2. Historic Aerials shows the track in place in 1959.
The 66 reopened in July 1964. The official Grand Opening was July 24, per an article that day in the Tribune: “Total remodeling cost was about $75,000. It included a new sign, screen, projection building with snack bar and rest rooms, resurfacing of the parking area and new auto speaker sound equipment.”
Historic Aerials shows the site restored to normal drive-in mode in 1967 & 1972, and the concession building and ramps still visible in 1991. Topo maps show a drive-in there through 1985.
When did the 66 finally close? Good question! Obviously before the screen-missing photo from 1991. It was still advertising (adults only) through June 26, 1983, the last 66 ad I could find in the Journal. There were other adult theater ads after that date, so it’s possible that the 66 closed that summer.
The 66’s first appearance in the Theatre Catalog was in the 1949-50 edition with a capacity of 400 cars, served in the Dallas territory. 1952-56 editions listed it with a capacity of 557 cars and 40 seats, served in the Denver territory.
Motion Picture Almanac mentions:
1950-54: Capacity 468, Owner Albuquerque Exhibitors, Inc., by R. J. O'Donnell
1955-56: 468, Albuquerque Exhibitors, Inc., by Geo. Tucker
1957: 520, Albuquerque Exhibitors, Inc., by Geo. Tucker
1958-59: 520, Albuquerque Exhibitors, Inc.
1960-76: off the list
1977-82: 500, Commonwealt
1983-88 (final DI list): Owner H. Hartstein
Between the 66’s founding and reopening (after a few years as a micro-midget race track), the city changed its address system so the new and current address is 7019 Central NW.
Per the Albuquerque Journal of Feb. 1, 1952, that was the date when control of the 66 (and other local theaters) passed from Texas Consolidated Theaters, Inc., of Dallas to Albuqerque Exhibitors, Inc.
“Joe Barnett, Albuquerque financier and owner of much downtown property, heads the firm, Albuquerque Exhibitors. Secretary is Mario Bachechi. Others of the Bachechi family in the firm are Victor Bacheci, Carlo Bachechi, and the estate of the late Arthur Bachechi. … Theaters involved are the KiMo, Sunshine, State, Hiland, Cactus, 66 Drive-In, Chief, Rio, Yucca and Lobo.”
Robert O'Donnell had acted as GM for the Abuquerque theaters under Texas Consolidated. “George Tucker … becomes buyer and broker of motion picture firms for the company.”
Today, Mlive.com posted that the old Bel-Air site was being redeveloped for storage units. (sigh!)
“The Bel-Air Drive-In opened April 29, 1955, and lasted for 30 years. Admission was 50 cents for adults and free for children younger than 12. Ladies received a free gift and kids got free candy on opening day. …Both the Bel-Air and the eastside drive-in, called the Jackson Drive-In, closed after the 1987 season and were demolished.”
The Floral was included in advertisements in the LA Times as late as June 1981.
The first newspaper clipping I could find for the Electric Dusk was in January 2013, when it was at 240 W. 4th St. Its web domain appears to have first activated in late 2012, so somewhere around there would be its opening date.
The Edwards Drive-In was listed in advertisements in the Los Angeles Times as late as September 1992.
“Pacific’s Big Sky Drive-In, 818/358-2565” was included in Los Angeles Times advertisements as late as September 1984.
“Pacific’s Mt. Vernon Drive-In, 714/884-0403” was included in Los Angeles Times advertisements as late as September 1991.
The San Bernardino County Sun ran an article on April 7, 1981 saying construction of the Balsam Road Drive-In (not yet named) would begin in two weeks and end in June if all went well. Owner Jack Baldock said it would accommodate 528 vehicles and cost about $300,000.
According to Baldock, “A screen has been up at this site for several years, but the project was delayed until this time.” He said the new drive-in would not affect the operation of the Joshua Drive-In, which Baldock also owned.
The Joshua was still included in the Motion Picture Almanacs' final drive-in list in the 1988 edition. Of course, that doesn’t prove that it was still operating by then.
A Victorville Daily Press article in 2015 mentioned that the Joshua was the last drive-in to remain open in Victorville until it closed “in the 1980s”. The Joshua was mentioned in Los Angeles Times advertisements as late as December 1981.
In the book Historic Movie Theatres of New Mexico by Jeff Berg, he writes that “the Chief Drive-In entertained the masses prior to 1955 until 1980. It allowed for 250 automobiles.” No other details nor source notes.
Sorry, Kenmore, but that’s the Mountain View Drive-In on Mechem Drive.
The Downs Drive-In, as its name suggests, was across the highway south of the Ruidoso Downs race track. The Ladera Apartments are there now, though you can see the old entrance and exit paths between the apartments and US 70.
114 Dipaolo Hill Dr, Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346 is the Ladera’s address, and that’s the closest I can find that works on Google Maps.
Found it on the 1957 photo at Historic Aerials. The approximate address would be 1105 W Ave D.
The 1964 topo map shows the Yucca completely replaced by Taylor Junior High School, so unless it moved it must have closed before then.
Apparently it was real. An AP story from December 1955 mentioned an armed robbery at the Sunset Drive-In in Hobbs.
The Sunset did not advertise in the local Hobbs Daily News in the summer 1952 or 1960 issues I checked. (Very spotty availability online.)
The Motion Picture Almanac series included the Sunset in its drive-in for its 1957-65 editions. It had a capacity of 600 cars, and its owner was listed as O.O. Knotts.
I would say that April 1959 mention was probably a season opener, and this is the same drive-in as the Chico, based on the following.
Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list mentions for Espanola:
The ticket booth, ramps and concession building are still clearly visible on Google Earth as I type.
The drive-in shows up on the 1973 topo map at Historic Aerials. It looks active from the 1969 aerial photo, and the screen is still there in 1997. It’s still on the 2001 topo map, but by the 2005 aerial photo, the screen is gone.
I prefer the address 19392 NM-314, Belen, NM 87002, where the Belen Flea Market is now.
The Albuquerque Journal mentioned the Zia in ads in 1959 and 1960.
The Zia did not advertise next to a local indoor theater in the Belen News-Bulletin in July 1971 (earliest available at NewspaperArchives).
Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list mentions:
The Yucca had its grand opening on May 1, 1958. It’s shown in the 1958 and 1962 photos at Historic Aerials.
American Storage Complex is now where the Yucca was.
Motion Picture Almanacs listed the Yucca under Aztec NM. Its last MPA mention was the 1976 edition, though it may have closed years earlier.
Aha! I found a second drive-in theater site in the 1955 topo map on Historic Aerials. The Circle B was on the west side of town at 3706 West Main Street, and Google Street View still shows the concrete driveway-to-nowhere there. (It’s also on the 1978 topo map there, and the 1997 aerial photo shows more suggestion of ramps.)
So the Circle B was different than the Hermosa. The MPA mentions above suggest that the Circle B closed in the early 1960s but stayed intact enough for the 1978 topo map to include it.
Also, I just made this clipping from the Current-Argus of July 6, 2008. It’s a long retrospective of Bill Bartlett, son of Ray, who ran the motion picture business of Carlsbad and Artesia. In particular, his dad “had the Valley Theater and Hermosa and Circle ‘B’ drive-ins running at different times in Artesia.”
Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list mentions for Artesia:
An Artesia resident named Ray Bartlett died there May 12, 1972, at the age of 78.
This clipping at Newspapers.com says that:
In Flagstaff’s Arizona Daily Sun from Sept. 25, 1976:
“(25 Years Ago in the Sun) … Harry Nace and Ray Olmstead have begun construction of the area’s first drive-in type theater, Guy Ellis, manager of Northern Arizona Theaters Inc., which will operate the establishment, said today.”
The Mt. Elden advertised in the Daily Sun through at least October 1977. A January 1978 police blotter note mentioned vandalism there, but by May 1978 it was being referred to as the “now-defunct” Mt. Elden Drive-In Theater.
The July 17, 1955 Arizona Republic included Holbrook’s 66 Drive-In in a movie ad with lots of out-of-town theaters. The 66 was showing Saskatchewan, starring Shelley Winters.
The Arizona Republic ran the following note on Sept. 19, 1956: “Kingman now has a drive-in theater, The Sage, managed by Ira Rawlings. Rawlings also manages the States Theater in Kingman. The Lang Theater Corp. owns both theaters.”
High winds toppled the screen a few months later, per an AP story printed Apr. 7, 1957 in the Republic.
Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list appearances:
According to Historic Aerials, the screen faced east to an unusually rectangular field. It was still there in 1980, but the whole lot had been taken over by the USPS by 1997. Topo maps listed it in 1965-76, then gone in 1983.
Motion Picture Almanac mentions:
This note is based on info from the Albuquerque Journal and the Albuquerque Tribune. Because I’m tired of typing Albuquerque, I will refer to them as simply the Journal and the Tribune.
The 66 first opened on Aug. 30, 1949, per this Journal clipping at Newspapers.com. Historic Aerials shows it in place in 1951.
When did the 66 first close? The local theater chain was sold back to Texas interests in early 1956, and that might have been when the decision was made. There were Journal ads on June 1 for the Sunset, Duke City, Tesuque, Terrace, Star and Cactus, but not the 66. An advertisement in the Journal for July 1, 1956 proclaimed: 66 Drive In Theatre CLOSED! Attend your Cactus and Star drive-ins
The site became the 66 Micro-Midget Speedway, per a May 15, 1957 article in the Tribune. The one-tenth mile racing oval was fronted by 4800 capacity grandstands to the north and south. Opening Day was set for June 2. Historic Aerials shows the track in place in 1959.
The 66 reopened in July 1964. The official Grand Opening was July 24, per an article that day in the Tribune: “Total remodeling cost was about $75,000. It included a new sign, screen, projection building with snack bar and rest rooms, resurfacing of the parking area and new auto speaker sound equipment.”
Historic Aerials shows the site restored to normal drive-in mode in 1967 & 1972, and the concession building and ramps still visible in 1991. Topo maps show a drive-in there through 1985.
When did the 66 finally close? Good question! Obviously before the screen-missing photo from 1991. It was still advertising (adults only) through June 26, 1983, the last 66 ad I could find in the Journal. There were other adult theater ads after that date, so it’s possible that the 66 closed that summer.
The 66’s first appearance in the Theatre Catalog was in the 1949-50 edition with a capacity of 400 cars, served in the Dallas territory. 1952-56 editions listed it with a capacity of 557 cars and 40 seats, served in the Denver territory.
Motion Picture Almanac mentions:
Between the 66’s founding and reopening (after a few years as a micro-midget race track), the city changed its address system so the new and current address is 7019 Central NW.
Per the Albuquerque Journal of Feb. 1, 1952, that was the date when control of the 66 (and other local theaters) passed from Texas Consolidated Theaters, Inc., of Dallas to Albuqerque Exhibitors, Inc.
“Joe Barnett, Albuquerque financier and owner of much downtown property, heads the firm, Albuquerque Exhibitors. Secretary is Mario Bachechi. Others of the Bachechi family in the firm are Victor Bacheci, Carlo Bachechi, and the estate of the late Arthur Bachechi. … Theaters involved are the KiMo, Sunshine, State, Hiland, Cactus, 66 Drive-In, Chief, Rio, Yucca and Lobo.”
Robert O'Donnell had acted as GM for the Abuquerque theaters under Texas Consolidated. “George Tucker … becomes buyer and broker of motion picture firms for the company.”
Today, Mlive.com posted that the old Bel-Air site was being redeveloped for storage units. (sigh!)
“The Bel-Air Drive-In opened April 29, 1955, and lasted for 30 years. Admission was 50 cents for adults and free for children younger than 12. Ladies received a free gift and kids got free candy on opening day. …Both the Bel-Air and the eastside drive-in, called the Jackson Drive-In, closed after the 1987 season and were demolished.”