81 Drive-In
6250 N. Broadway Street,
Wichita,
KS
67219
6250 N. Broadway Street,
Wichita,
KS
67219
2 people
favorited this theater
The 81 Drive-In opened on August 15, 1946 with Kenny Baker in “Silver Skates”. This drive-in is listed as the first drive-in theater in Wichita and possibly the first in Kansas. It was closed down sometime in the 1980’s.
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Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Here is a better view of the 3/5/05 photo, which was taken in 1937:
http://tinyurl.com/2usojk
Absolutely right. I failed to notice that the 81 opened in 1946. My mistake.
Many, many wonderful stories and photos of Kansas theatres from Abilene to Yates Center can be found HERE<<<.
PLEASE copy this post and post it on every Kansas theatres page.
Thank you.
the 81 Drive-in hasn’t been mentioned on CT since 2008!It was owned by O.F.Sullivan and parked 600 cars.
The 81 Drive-In opened on August 15, 1946. It’s first showing was “Silver Skates” along with the 3 Stooges, a “Colortoon” and Late News.
For more memories of the 81 Drive In, see “I Used to Drag Douglas“
The drive-in craze hit Kansas in 1946 with the construction of Wichita’s 81 Drive-In on N. Broadway. See Bob Curtwright’s story in the active age, July 2015.
Also opened with “Colorado fishing”. Site is now M. Bruenger Trucking Company.
A three-page story about Merta and Truman Slothower in the July 4, 1960 issue of Boxoffice included: “The 54 and 81 drive-in theatres were acquired in 1956 from Nu-Vue Theatres of Kansas City.”
Last season: 1971