A closer address is 4803 W. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX. The drive-in was demolished and replaced by a large retail store and has expanded to include different stores.
It’s right next to the highway and from Google Street View, it appears that the red rock bluffs are only on the south side of the property. Still, it’s quite picturesque if you are in the drive-in looking at the screen.
The address is 5 Stockade Road, Chadron, NE. The address points to where the old entrance/exit roads used to be, but no longer exist.
A 1966 aerial shows the drive-in demolished, although you can clearly see the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit roads. Today it is private property, but you can still just see the outline.
The property is now occupied by Irving Minerals. The drive-in closed sometime after 1955 because a 1963 aerial shows the entire property radically changed with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
A closer address is 144 Moursund Blvd, San Antonio, TX. The drive-in straddled between Moursund Blvd. and Pleasanton Road. The address is the South Trust Bank which now occupies part of the property.
A 1955 aerial (featured in the photo page) show the drive-in operational. A 1963 aerial shows the drive-in intact, but obviously closed. By 1966 it was demolished.
Today, most of the property is still an open field with the bank sitting in the middle. You can barely make out the faded ramps and even the foundation of the concession stand/projector booth has eroded away.
A 1957 aerial photo shows a drive-in sitting just on the north side of the Trade Winds drive-in at 2001 N. Grimes Street, Hobbs, NM. You can see the Sky-Vu across the street.
Could this be the Sunset Drive-In? It would make sense since one manager could easily oversee both as they were side-by-side and even appeared to be connected.
The drive-in was located at Broad St NE & Roberts Place Northeast, Moses Lake, WA. Although it does fit the location as described, it didn’t not appear on any topo map prior to 1978 topo map. Although that does not mean it didn’t exist back in 1955.
Today, you can clearly see the outline, ramps, and foundation of the concession stand/projection booth.
https://tinyurl.com/sveqqqn
I did find another drive-in on a 1960 topo map located at 1000 WA-17, Moses Lake, WA which is a mile southeast of the town.
Today there is no trace remaining as a few businesses occupy the site.
I could not get an exact address, but a close one is S Veterans Memorial Blvd & E Avenida de Aviacion, San Manuel, AZ. The drive-in was about a quarter-mile north of this intersection on the south side of the Blvd.
Today, you can still see the ramps and outline, but nothing else remains of the drive-in.
I guess my eyes must be giving out because a 1954 aerial of the town does not reveal anything resembling a drive-in in this rather small community.
So, apart from going blind, I’m going to assume that the drive-in must’ve been so small that it could be mistaken for something else. Or, located a fair distance from the town itself.
I do not believe the ridges at the end of Clark Avenue are indications of a drive-in. Topo maps going back to 1949 show the same three houses/buildings present on the property which would be where the screen had to have stood.
So, I do not believe that Clark Avenue is the location of the drive-in. The ridges are something else other than ramps.
A house sits where the concession stand/projector booth once stood.
A 1963 aerial shows the drive-in intact and apparently operational. But a 1980 aerial shows the drive-in demolished with the screen and projection booth/concession stand gone.
A 1968 aerial photo appears to show the drive-in was demolished. While the projector booth/concession stand might still be present, there is no indication of a screen.
It is true that the photo itself is not good quality, but it sure looks like an abandoned drive-in by 1968.
A closer address is 25291 Orange St, Los Molinos, California.
The drive-in sat on the south side of the street. It appears intact in a 1969 aerial.
Today, the property has been redeveloped into a housing edition. There is no trace of the drive-remaining, although the driveway of the address matches the entrance of the drive-in.
The drive-in appears in a 1955 aerial photo. A 1981 aerial shows it was intact and appeared to be operational. by 1998, the screen is gone and the drive-in certainly looks closed.
Today, the property is occupied by All-Seasons Equipment and Self Storage. You can still see the general outline of the drive-in and a few hints of the ramps.
A 1956 aerial shows what appears to be a drive-in at that location. It’s small enough for the 100 cars and seems to have a screen at the SE corner. The drive-in was also enclosed by a fence with trees or bushes.
Today, it appears to be private property with no trace of the drive-in remaining. The entrance to the property has also changed as it was slightly further SE, but this is the current address.
It appears this drive-in did not last long. A 1954 aerial shows it intact, but a 1963 aerial shows the screen down and the ramps starting to fade. Although the concession stand/projection booth is still in place.
By 1981, the concession stand/projection booth is gone along with all traces of the drive-in. Today, it is an empty field with no indication that a drive-in ever existed on the site.
A 1968 aerial shows the drive-in demolished with only the ramps and outline remaining.
By 1995, the drive-in had virtually faded away. Today, the property is mostly an open field with a walking track located on the north side of Faith Deliverance Community Church. There is no trace remaining.
150 to 200 seems about right. It’s not very big, although it is usually tough to tell just from an aerial of how many cars it can hold.
The projection booth at the back of the drive-in usually, but not always means that it is relatively small because of the throw distance. But don’t hold me to that as there are a few large drive-ins with the projection booth way in the back.
NETR is an online source for aerial photos and topo maps. The next year they have after 1962 is 1981. The topo maps do not show anything between that time either, but then again topo maps often have old information.
I’d say “built after 1962” is about the best I can come up with.
A closer address is 4803 W. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX. The drive-in was demolished and replaced by a large retail store and has expanded to include different stores.
A closer address is 250 US-40, Roosevelt, UT.
It’s right next to the highway and from Google Street View, it appears that the red rock bluffs are only on the south side of the property. Still, it’s quite picturesque if you are in the drive-in looking at the screen.
Found It!
The address is 5 Stockade Road, Chadron, NE. The address points to where the old entrance/exit roads used to be, but no longer exist.
A 1966 aerial shows the drive-in demolished, although you can clearly see the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit roads. Today it is private property, but you can still just see the outline.
https://tinyurl.com/ttz2pfo
The property is now occupied by Irving Minerals. The drive-in closed sometime after 1955 because a 1963 aerial shows the entire property radically changed with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
A closer address is 144 Moursund Blvd, San Antonio, TX. The drive-in straddled between Moursund Blvd. and Pleasanton Road. The address is the South Trust Bank which now occupies part of the property.
A 1955 aerial (featured in the photo page) show the drive-in operational. A 1963 aerial shows the drive-in intact, but obviously closed. By 1966 it was demolished.
Today, most of the property is still an open field with the bank sitting in the middle. You can barely make out the faded ramps and even the foundation of the concession stand/projector booth has eroded away.
https://tinyurl.com/qkr4mqh
A 1957 aerial photo shows a drive-in sitting just on the north side of the Trade Winds drive-in at 2001 N. Grimes Street, Hobbs, NM. You can see the Sky-Vu across the street.
Could this be the Sunset Drive-In? It would make sense since one manager could easily oversee both as they were side-by-side and even appeared to be connected.
Found It!
The drive-in was located at Broad St NE & Roberts Place Northeast, Moses Lake, WA. Although it does fit the location as described, it didn’t not appear on any topo map prior to 1978 topo map. Although that does not mean it didn’t exist back in 1955.
Today, you can clearly see the outline, ramps, and foundation of the concession stand/projection booth.
https://tinyurl.com/sveqqqn
I did find another drive-in on a 1960 topo map located at 1000 WA-17, Moses Lake, WA which is a mile southeast of the town.
Today there is no trace remaining as a few businesses occupy the site.
Found It!
I could not get an exact address, but a close one is S Veterans Memorial Blvd & E Avenida de Aviacion, San Manuel, AZ. The drive-in was about a quarter-mile north of this intersection on the south side of the Blvd.
Today, you can still see the ramps and outline, but nothing else remains of the drive-in.
https://tinyurl.com/vkucgu3
The drive-in is not an empty field anymore. It now has a business on the property.
I guess my eyes must be giving out because a 1954 aerial of the town does not reveal anything resembling a drive-in in this rather small community.
So, apart from going blind, I’m going to assume that the drive-in must’ve been so small that it could be mistaken for something else. Or, located a fair distance from the town itself.
I do not believe the ridges at the end of Clark Avenue are indications of a drive-in. Topo maps going back to 1949 show the same three houses/buildings present on the property which would be where the screen had to have stood.
So, I do not believe that Clark Avenue is the location of the drive-in. The ridges are something else other than ramps.
A house sits where the concession stand/projector booth once stood.
A 1963 aerial shows the drive-in intact and apparently operational. But a 1980 aerial shows the drive-in demolished with the screen and projection booth/concession stand gone.
A 2018 Google street view shows the second screen still standing and the entire property overgrown.
A 1961 aerial shows a drive-in approximately where Fry’s Food and Drug stands today at 2115 US-60 #200, Miami, AZ.
Could this be the original location of the Apache Drive-In?
A closer address is 1770 AZ-77, Globe, AZ. The drive-in is still intact as of 2016.
https://tinyurl.com/v9hxgfu
A 1968 aerial photo appears to show the drive-in was demolished. While the projector booth/concession stand might still be present, there is no indication of a screen.
It is true that the photo itself is not good quality, but it sure looks like an abandoned drive-in by 1968.
A closer address is 25291 Orange St, Los Molinos, California.
The drive-in sat on the south side of the street. It appears intact in a 1969 aerial.
Today, the property has been redeveloped into a housing edition. There is no trace of the drive-remaining, although the driveway of the address matches the entrance of the drive-in.
https://tinyurl.com/uvmzbnf
Fount It!
The address is W2042 WI-64, Marinette, WI.
The drive-in appears in a 1955 aerial photo. A 1981 aerial shows it was intact and appeared to be operational. by 1998, the screen is gone and the drive-in certainly looks closed.
Today, the property is occupied by All-Seasons Equipment and Self Storage. You can still see the general outline of the drive-in and a few hints of the ramps.
https://tinyurl.com/uyy5sxl
I believe I found it.
The address is 995 E Hall St, Hatch, NM.
The drive-in was located just SE of the town.
A 1956 aerial shows what appears to be a drive-in at that location. It’s small enough for the 100 cars and seems to have a screen at the SE corner. The drive-in was also enclosed by a fence with trees or bushes.
Today, it appears to be private property with no trace of the drive-in remaining. The entrance to the property has also changed as it was slightly further SE, but this is the current address.
https://tinyurl.com/wc3oyht
It appears this drive-in did not last long. A 1954 aerial shows it intact, but a 1963 aerial shows the screen down and the ramps starting to fade. Although the concession stand/projection booth is still in place.
By 1981, the concession stand/projection booth is gone along with all traces of the drive-in. Today, it is an empty field with no indication that a drive-in ever existed on the site.
A 1968 aerial shows the drive-in demolished with only the ramps and outline remaining.
By 1995, the drive-in had virtually faded away. Today, the property is mostly an open field with a walking track located on the north side of Faith Deliverance Community Church. There is no trace remaining.
Here is the location on Google Earth. https://tinyurl.com/y3habp7s
Totally demolished. Not even the ramps remain.
Nope
150 to 200 seems about right. It’s not very big, although it is usually tough to tell just from an aerial of how many cars it can hold.
The projection booth at the back of the drive-in usually, but not always means that it is relatively small because of the throw distance. But don’t hold me to that as there are a few large drive-ins with the projection booth way in the back.
NETR is an online source for aerial photos and topo maps. The next year they have after 1962 is 1981. The topo maps do not show anything between that time either, but then again topo maps often have old information.
I’d say “built after 1962” is about the best I can come up with.