The Chief was located just to the north of town, on the east side of N. Main Street, at the intersection of Vantage Drive. The back rows of the drive-in and overall footprint are still clearly visible using Google Earth, although some kind of long rectangular building is on top of the front section of the drive-in.
The Circle Drive-In was located at the southeast section of a five point traffic circle to the north of Henderson. The drive-in was demolished around 1970-71 for the construction of an indoor theatre, at what is now the Circle Plaza Cinema 3.
The proper address for the drive-in would be the same as what is being used for the indoor theatre today:
The Hardie Drive-In was located on what is now W Ave O, at the intersection of Old Golf Course Road. The site appears to be a trailer home park now. The side roads of the trailer park have a distinctly “drive-in” appeal, named Belair, Monte Carlo, and Impala.
Here is an aerial photo from 1964 of the Hardie Drive-In:
I can’t top the wedding dress and a gun comment, but I can add that this drive-in was located to the west of town, on what is now I-20 at the intersection of County Road 201, on the southeast corner. There is no trace of the drive-in left whatsoever.
Here is the aerial photo from 1969, courtesy of Earth Explorer and the USGS:
I believe the Rocket and the Cactus may have been the same drive-in. I scoured the 1967 aerial photos for Dyer Street, which were a good resolution, and could clearly see the drive-in at 10405 Dyer St., but there was no 500 car drive-in at 9981 Dyer Street.
Both the Rocket and Cactus are listed as being 500 cars. The Rocket supposedly opened in 1965, so both should have been clearly visible in the 1967 aerial photos.
Unless someone can produce a newspaper ad which shows both drive-ins operating in the same year, these were probably the same drive-in, operating as the Cactus from 1952-1964, and then as the Rocket from 1965 to around 1980.
It would not be unusual for the IMPA or other theatre catalogs to contain misleading or inaccurate information. Can anyone vouch from first-hand experience that both drive-ins operated simultaneously from separate locations, or does the idea that these were two distinct drive-ins originate solely from information pulled from the almanacs and theatre catalogs?
The drive-in was located inside the grid of the town, at 250 K St, Hawthorne, NV 89415. Here is an aerial photo from 1974 which vaguely shows the footprint of the drive-in.
Can anyone clarify the post above from 2008 which mentions the Drake Drive-in as being an adult theatre? Does that post indicate it was an adult drive-in, or an indoor?
If it was in fact a drive-in, where was it located and during what years was it operating?
The Greenville Drive-in is for sale in Greenville, NY. The Hathaway’s Drive-in is also listed for sale, in North Hoosick, NY. Both drive-ins were operational in 2007.
This was originally called the WGAT Drive-in, named after the local AM radio station which owned it. They opened on October 4, 1949 and their final season was in 1983. It was sold to Kallet Theatres in 1955 and was renamed the New Hartford Drive-in in 1956.
Kallet owned another drive-in near Utica, in Marcy, which was called the Kallet Drive-in until they renamed it the Marcy Drive-in after they bought the WGAT Drive-in.
The site of the New Hartford Drive-in is currently a shopping plaza. The address of the former drive-in is 4500 Commercial Drive, Utica, NY 13413.
The Starlight Drive-in opened on August 18, 1948. It’s address was 460 S. Riverside Ave., Rte 9A, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. It is currently the site of a Shop Rite Supermarket.
You can still clearly see the remains of the Flanders Drive-in from Google Earth, on Route 24 between Riverhead and Flanders. The drive-in is on the south side of Route 24, and the closest side street is Ludlam Avenue.
The Dryden Drive-in was located in the Town of Freeville, New York, 8 miles east of Ithaca and 2.5 miles west of Dryden, on Dryden Road, which is also State Route 13. The opening night was on June 8, 1949, and their final season was in 1980. The screen tower and ticket office are still standing. American Homes Manufactured Housing Sales Center
is located on the front of the former drive-in property.
The Buffalo Drive-in was the first ozoner to open in the Buffalo area on August 1, 1941. Their first movie was DOWN ARGENTINE WAY, and the ticket cost was only 31 cents per person.
The original drive-in was torn down after the 1973 season and rebuilt as a triple screen drive-in, which reopened on July 18, 1974.
The Buffalo Drive-in’s final season was 2007, when it was sold to a developer for the construction of a medical office park.
The Boulevard Drive-in opened on June 26, 1954. Their first movie was THE ROBE, on their new CinemaScope screen. The drive-in was located in Wheatfield, New York, which is near Niagara Falls and Buffalo. The final season for this drive-in was 1981. It has been demolished, and is now the site of Opportunities Unlimited, which servers the disabled community.
It’s address is 2510 Niagara Falls Blvd., Wheatfield, NY 14304.
The Aero Drive-in opened on July 1, 1950. Its final season was 1971, after which it was torn down to make room for the Holiday 3,4,5,6 Theatres. Holiday 1 & 2 were opened while the Aero Drive-in was still operating, and were so successful that the owners decided to build 4 more screens where the drive-in was, in order to have more indoor screens. The owner of the Aero Drive-in also owned the nearby Buffalo Drive-in and Twin Drive-in, so they may have wanted to sacrifice one of their outdoor screens to increase their number of indoor screens. The concession stand for the Aero Drive-in is still standing, and has been used as a restaurant over the years, most recently as a Bucca De Beppo’s. The Holiday Theatres are now all gone, as are the Buffalo and Twin Drive-ins.
The Chief was located just to the north of town, on the east side of N. Main Street, at the intersection of Vantage Drive. The back rows of the drive-in and overall footprint are still clearly visible using Google Earth, although some kind of long rectangular building is on top of the front section of the drive-in.
The Circle Drive-In was located at the southeast section of a five point traffic circle to the north of Henderson. The drive-in was demolished around 1970-71 for the construction of an indoor theatre, at what is now the Circle Plaza Cinema 3.
The proper address for the drive-in would be the same as what is being used for the indoor theatre today:
1401 Lone Star St., Henderson, TX 75653
The Horseshoe Drive-In was located on the northeast corner of the intersection of US 83 at County Road 114.
Here is an aerial photo from 1966 which clearly shows the location of this drive-in:
http://flic.kr/p/94pgGY
The Hardie Drive-In was located on what is now W Ave O, at the intersection of Old Golf Course Road. The site appears to be a trailer home park now. The side roads of the trailer park have a distinctly “drive-in” appeal, named Belair, Monte Carlo, and Impala.
Here is an aerial photo from 1964 of the Hardie Drive-In:
http://flic.kr/p/94kome
I can’t top the wedding dress and a gun comment, but I can add that this drive-in was located to the west of town, on what is now I-20 at the intersection of County Road 201, on the southeast corner. There is no trace of the drive-in left whatsoever.
Here is the aerial photo from 1969, courtesy of Earth Explorer and the USGS:
http://flic.kr/p/94hKos
I believe the Rocket and the Cactus may have been the same drive-in. I scoured the 1967 aerial photos for Dyer Street, which were a good resolution, and could clearly see the drive-in at 10405 Dyer St., but there was no 500 car drive-in at 9981 Dyer Street.
Both the Rocket and Cactus are listed as being 500 cars. The Rocket supposedly opened in 1965, so both should have been clearly visible in the 1967 aerial photos.
Unless someone can produce a newspaper ad which shows both drive-ins operating in the same year, these were probably the same drive-in, operating as the Cactus from 1952-1964, and then as the Rocket from 1965 to around 1980.
It would not be unusual for the IMPA or other theatre catalogs to contain misleading or inaccurate information. Can anyone vouch from first-hand experience that both drive-ins operated simultaneously from separate locations, or does the idea that these were two distinct drive-ins originate solely from information pulled from the almanacs and theatre catalogs?
Here is a set of aerial photos of the El Paso Drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
1947 – http://flic.kr/p/9483BR
1950 – http://flic.kr/p/9483DH
1956 – http://flic.kr/p/9483Ev
The drive-in was located inside the grid of the town, at 250 K St, Hawthorne, NV 89415. Here is an aerial photo from 1974 which vaguely shows the footprint of the drive-in.
http://flic.kr/p/92KhaA
The projection building is in the center of the lot, and the screen is facing due south.
Can anyone clarify the post above from 2008 which mentions the Drake Drive-in as being an adult theatre? Does that post indicate it was an adult drive-in, or an indoor?
If it was in fact a drive-in, where was it located and during what years was it operating?
Here is the grand opening ad from Newsday on June 23, 1954, for the Westbury Drive-in.
View link
The Greenville Drive-in is for sale in Greenville, NY. The Hathaway’s Drive-in is also listed for sale, in North Hoosick, NY. Both drive-ins were operational in 2007.
The link above is no longer working. Can anyone repost this picture, or email me a copy of the pic to
Thanks!
This was originally called the WGAT Drive-in, named after the local AM radio station which owned it. They opened on October 4, 1949 and their final season was in 1983. It was sold to Kallet Theatres in 1955 and was renamed the New Hartford Drive-in in 1956.
Kallet owned another drive-in near Utica, in Marcy, which was called the Kallet Drive-in until they renamed it the Marcy Drive-in after they bought the WGAT Drive-in.
The site of the New Hartford Drive-in is currently a shopping plaza. The address of the former drive-in is 4500 Commercial Drive, Utica, NY 13413.
The Starlight Drive-in opened on August 18, 1948. It’s address was 460 S. Riverside Ave., Rte 9A, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. It is currently the site of a Shop Rite Supermarket.
The Front Drive-in opened in June 22, 1949. It’s final season was in 1963. It closed due to the construction of I-81.
You can still clearly see the remains of the Flanders Drive-in from Google Earth, on Route 24 between Riverhead and Flanders. The drive-in is on the south side of Route 24, and the closest side street is Ludlam Avenue.
The Empire Drive-in opened on June 3, 1949. Thier final season was in 1982.
The address of the Elmsford Drive-in was 333 N. Saw Mill River Rd., Rte 9A, Elmsford, NY 10523.
The Elmira Drive-in opened on April 16, 1949. It currently has 2 screens and is still in operation.
Their address is 2431 Rte 352, Big Flats, NY 14903.
The East Drive-in opened on June 30, 1950. Their final season was 1985.
The Dryden Drive-in was located in the Town of Freeville, New York, 8 miles east of Ithaca and 2.5 miles west of Dryden, on Dryden Road, which is also State Route 13. The opening night was on June 8, 1949, and their final season was in 1980. The screen tower and ticket office are still standing. American Homes Manufactured Housing Sales Center
is located on the front of the former drive-in property.
The DeWitt Drive-in opened on July 8, 1950. It’s final season was in 1984.
The Buffalo Drive-in was the first ozoner to open in the Buffalo area on August 1, 1941. Their first movie was DOWN ARGENTINE WAY, and the ticket cost was only 31 cents per person.
The original drive-in was torn down after the 1973 season and rebuilt as a triple screen drive-in, which reopened on July 18, 1974.
The Buffalo Drive-in’s final season was 2007, when it was sold to a developer for the construction of a medical office park.
The Boulevard Drive-in opened on June 26, 1954. Their first movie was THE ROBE, on their new CinemaScope screen. The drive-in was located in Wheatfield, New York, which is near Niagara Falls and Buffalo. The final season for this drive-in was 1981. It has been demolished, and is now the site of Opportunities Unlimited, which servers the disabled community.
It’s address is 2510 Niagara Falls Blvd., Wheatfield, NY 14304.
The Aero Drive-in opened on July 1, 1950. Its final season was 1971, after which it was torn down to make room for the Holiday 3,4,5,6 Theatres. Holiday 1 & 2 were opened while the Aero Drive-in was still operating, and were so successful that the owners decided to build 4 more screens where the drive-in was, in order to have more indoor screens. The owner of the Aero Drive-in also owned the nearby Buffalo Drive-in and Twin Drive-in, so they may have wanted to sacrifice one of their outdoor screens to increase their number of indoor screens. The concession stand for the Aero Drive-in is still standing, and has been used as a restaurant over the years, most recently as a Bucca De Beppo’s. The Holiday Theatres are now all gone, as are the Buffalo and Twin Drive-ins.