Hartford Drive-In

There was recently an application to turn the drive-in site into housing.

A photo of the remains of the Hartford Drive-In marquee:
http://www.carlweese.com/DI02808.jpg

Never got the chance to go here, but I recall seeing the marquee and the other sign that paralled the Berlin Turnpike. Fabulous neon and flashing lights. Exciting stuff. Sad this is gone. People don't know what they're missing these days.

Here are two photos:
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/hartdi2904.jpg
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/hartdi904.jpg

This link has additional photos:
http://www.klh.org/drivein/hartford/

I remember coming here, I don't live too far from it either. Hate to see it go. But I don't know when they're putting up those new townhouses, it may be an environmental issue too, who knows my town is weird, we had 3 movies theaters at once, now we have zero. I remember the marquee all lit up, the playground, the consession stand, and all the fun I had with family and friends. A farmer from Vermont sells his Christmas Trees there from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Actually, Newington had 4 theatres at one time. The Newington Cinemas, the Newington Theatre, the Hartford Drive-In, and the Pike Drive-In.

Oh yeah, I forgot Cinema 1-2-3, I remember walking there once to see Batman Returns. I wish they would list it, as well as The Berlin Cinema in Berlin and The Paris Cinema in Wethersfield. Also Wethersfield had another theater too called The Webster. Thanks R.K.

I remember going to all those cinemas you mention. The Webster is near Wethersfield, but it is in Hartford.

I meant the Cine Webb, my bad.

does anyone have any old pictures of the newington theaters?

I REALLY WANT PICS. OF THE NEWINGTON CINEMA

I sent you an e-mail. Well, it looks like her days may be numbered, the sign is up and I think the machines are ready. So if I hear any loud bangs near my house, I'll let you know if it has been torn down or not.

Please change this to demolished, they took the screen down yesterday and the Marquee is only standing.

I just saw the story on the news today. What a shame!

I know, so many memories. Dang, they should have somehow saved it.

I went by this on Route 5 the other day by bicycle and didn't see the marquee standing. I followed the address numbers and saw many strip malls/plazas there (go figure). There was a spot of land about 1/4 acre behind one of the buildings, so I figured it was there, and that land was many pine trees in a mini-grove.

I think it was this theatre that used to be a flea market for a few years after the theatre closed.

It was the place used to be the flea market. It is town houses now that they built last year and this year. It was directly across from the mcdonalds that they just rebuild to look retro.

The Drive In was managed for years by a guy named Fred Buzzel(sp), who always reported for work in a sport jacket and kept the place spotless. Likewise, he made sure that the landmark sign was painted and in working order each year, since it was such a highlight of the turnpike. I believe the ticket guys even wore red jackets. I was projectionist at the Pike Drive In, and we used to socialize with the staff of the HDI, even have after-movie parties where we would select a few reels (movies are on 20 minute reels) of the best flicks and re-run them after the crowds left. Sometimes the Newington PD would stop in to watch along too. I knew the projectionist, David Graham. We had a friendly rivalry with them and after intermission, the managers would compare car-counts and "PC" (How much each person spent on average) They always booked better movies and it was a challenge to outdo them.

More pictures..

http://www.opacity.us/gallery140_drive_through.htm

ive seen this guys photos a lot online while looking at abandoned hospitals which is one of my true loves for some reason. I dont know what it is about abandoned hospitals and asylums but they jus tdraw me in. Even after ive explored a hospital a few times, the beauty and craftsmanship of a perod of life that I wasent alive to experince just intrigues me like nothing else. Sorry, so as I was saying his pics. are the most beautiful ive seen on abandoned structures.
Ha, doc. i see that you used to work at the old pike drive in. Where exactly was it? I have heard it was down the road where the ford dealer is now, off the turnpike by rt.9
Is that true?

The Pike wasn't way down there. It was like a block from the Hartford DI. I think there's a supermarket there now.

The Pike was 1/8 mile South of McDonald's back behind DQ. I think it's a Shaw's now.

It was owned by Bernie and Sy Menschel, who also owned Vernon Cine 1/2, Manchester Drive In and Berlin Cine 1/2.

The Berlin Drive In was where Home Depot is in Berlin on Rt 160. The Berlin became adult movies and took heat from the neighbors, because in the end they installed a sound system that broadcast over the car radio...They had to install very high fences to keep people from stopping on the road nearby to watch - and listen.

Car capacity in 1975 was 500.

Was it bigger back then?

My not-even close, absolute, hands down, all-time favorite Drive-In!!! The Hartford and it's open-all-Winter triple horror features were a secial treat of the highest order. Films like 'Zombie Island Massacre', 'The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!', 'Pieces', 'Toolbox Murders', 'The House That Cried Murder', 'The Hills Have Eyes', 'The Deadly Spawn', 'Equinox' (now out on a special Criterion edition!), and the perfectly appropriate 'Ruby', not to mention the occasional short subject before the show, dozens of classic and vintage trailers and even some local ads during intermission time. Great popcorn and the best french fries anywhere, all overlooking the effervescence of a sparkling soda in Snack Canyon, the twinkling lights of the valley below and the stars above. Unfortunately, it's since been sacrificed on the alter of cancerous commerce and now houses...townhouses. I'm thinking it would only be fitting that those townhouses suffer a similar fate as the house in Poltergeist, as characters from films shown there in days gone by all return to reclaim their Hallowed ground...