Mansfield Twin Drive-In
2935 E. Seminary Drive,
Fort Worth,
TX
76119
2935 E. Seminary Drive,
Fort Worth,
TX
76119
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Closed in 1992.
A new school has been built on the old drive in property as of 2021.
Reopened on 23/12/1970 on the east screen with “Patton” and on the west screen with “C.C. and company”.
1254 cars.
This opened on June 30th, 1950. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Beth36, the other drive-in theatre your Mom remembers was the Pike. Here’s a link to its page:
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/24729
If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to carry this conversation with you offline because I have a few other questions I’d like to ask about your uncle. Where could I reach you at, please? Thank you again, Beth36!
Oops. 😳 I meant to say she didn’t recall a male dancer.
Your very welcome! You sure have done extensive research, Great job! The you for sharing. I came across your post while looking for some of my Uncles Murals. Your hunch is correct, i spoke with mom she remember the female dancer and guitarist in the back ground, but did recall a male dancer. Her memory was pretty cloudy today. Mom remembered a drive-in off Lancaster having a cook squatted down cooking beans in a long handled iron skillet. The bull i recalled wasn’t one of his mom couldnt recall witch drive-in that was on. Uncle Arvall Dean worked at a Ft Worh Co. That painted murals and blow neon glass for business. Hope you can find all your looking for.
Thank you for your response, Beth36! In my extensive research and cross-referencing I believe I have a hunch as to what the artwork was on the Mansfield’s first screen tower. It may have been a scene depicting male and female flamenco dancers with a guitarist sitting in the background. My hunch is based on two items: first, the opening night ad in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, of which I have a copy of now. Second, it appears that Spanish-themed scenes adorned the front of similarly-designed screen towers designed by the original architect of the theatres, one Harvey A. Jordan. Your mentioning of a bull fighter is fascinating, and seems to confirm my hunch. Still, if you wouldn’t mind, please do ask your Mother about the mural, and also, please tell us about your uncle and his association with drive-in theatres. Thank you, again!
I need to ask my mom what the painting was, for it was one of my uncles who painted the first screen tower. I was pretty young when we used to go there, i want to say it was a bull fighter..i need to confirm it to make sure.
Nice little story for y'all. I chatted with an older gentleman this evening at a local drug store, and he told me that some time in the past, he was part of an after hours cleaning crew at O.D. Wyatt High School. He said that when he and his crew would take a break, they would look out across Seminary Drive from the school’s front entryway to the Mansfield Twin and see whatever movie was playing. In looking at Google Maps, it’s most likely they were watching the west screen. Just thought I’d share this with everyone.
Thank you for the link, ken mc. The Historic Aerials website has definitely become an invaluable tool in researching the history of my local drive-in theatres. About the Mansfield, I wish someone had information on what the old screen tower’s artwork looked like, if there was any.
Here is a 1963 aerial view:
http://tinyurl.com/ydmzc6e
From the information I have, it originally opened in 1950 as the Mansfield Highway Drive-In, and was a single screen theatre. It quite possibly was constructed in the “old style”, that is, with living quarters/storage at the base of the screen, and that it closed sometime around 1969 or 1970 to be converted to a twin-screen theatre. The original (east) screen was replaced with the metal frame-style construction.