Beverly Drive-In

Old Airport Eoad and Edwards Street,
Hattiesburg, MS 39401

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: N & S Theater Drive-Ins

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News About This Theater

Beverly Drive-In

Opened May 29, 1948 with Sonny Tufts in “Swell Guy”. The historic Beverly Drive-In ran successfully for decades. In 1955 it was operated by H. Hargroder and had an 800 car capacity. On March 30, 1979 a second screen was added, but in 1987, the theater’s owner passed away suddenly and the theater was forced to close.

Thanks to the efforts of Jim Norton and Barbara Suick, who own seven drive-in theaters in Florida and Wisconsin, the Beverly Drive-In reopened on May 15 2001, years after its last season came to an end. Norton and Suick’s N&S Theater Drive-Ins is one of the largest drive-in chains in the country, and their eight theaters are among the roughly 600 left in the United States. The two are leasing the Beverly Drive-In from the daughter of the original owner.

The Beverly Drive-In was reopened as a first-run twin theater and now contains 500 parking spaces with two large screens, one measuring 100 x 75 feet and another measuring 80 x 40 feet.

It was destroyed by a fire in October 2010.

Contributed by Ross Melnick

Recent comments (view all 28 comments)

wsaucier
wsaucier on October 31, 2010 at 1:22 pm

You’re welcome. I drove by the Beverly while in Hattiesburg just a few weeks ago. It is so sad to read the news article about its destruction. It was the second drive-in that was opened in this state. I kept hoping someone would reopen it. There are only two operating drive ins left in this state now. At one time there were four in my area(Beach, Do, Don & Moonlite)alone. All gone now.

SophieRoseAsquith
SophieRoseAsquith on August 31, 2013 at 3:51 am

Can anyone please tell me if there is anything left on the site of the Beverly Drive-In? I’m driving across the state documenting drive-in’s, both operating and abandoned sites, and the photographs I’ve seen of this site looks really interesting

wsaucier
wsaucier on August 31, 2013 at 11:25 am

The Beverly screen tower and the home under it was destroyed in a fire. The concession and booth building was demolished. There is nothing left but a empty field. The vacant land is for sale

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on June 8, 2014 at 8:56 am

You may want to change the address, it is off about 6 miles Southeast of the Drive-In location. A better address would be U.S. Highway 49 and Edwards Street. The location shows the foundation of the screen concession stand and the golf course.

The home built beneath the screen had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a sun porch.

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on July 17, 2014 at 7:16 pm

A better address is:

Old Airport Rd & Edwards Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401

jwmovies
jwmovies on November 27, 2016 at 12:03 am

According to the website All the Mississippi, the address for this Drive-in is 5320 U.S. Highway 49 Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Edwards Street is Business Highway 49.

Please update.

crumbmuncher
crumbmuncher on December 29, 2016 at 6:42 pm

A little trivia. This theater was named for the Hargroder’s daughter Beverly, with whom I attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in 1970-71.

Kenmore
Kenmore on December 29, 2016 at 7:40 pm

A much closer address (for Google Maps) is Old Airport Rd & Edwards Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.

The problem with the 5320 U.S. Highway 49 Hattiesburg, MS address is that Edwards Street is “Business Highway 49”, not “U.S. Highway 49”. So Google maps it to the northwest of the city, not the southeast where the drive-in is located.

http://tinyurl.com/jofwhhb

rivest266
rivest266 on April 17, 2017 at 10:48 am

This opened on May 29th, 1948. Grand opening ad already up.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 17, 2017 at 2:17 pm

2 screens on March 30th, 1979. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

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