Sad news. The Weirs Drive-In’s final night of operation was this past Monday, September 4. The owner has decided to retire and sold the land for condos and other so-called “progress”.
It was said the the owner’s son will take ownership of all the theater-related equipment and start searching for land to build a new drive-in theater with it. Of course, I’ll be pulling for him.
Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of visiting the Weirs. I was always hoping to, but was never able to plan it.
According to the ads in the Arizona Republic, the Velda Rose was to open on October 6, 1972 with the film “War Between Men and Women”, but this was pushed ahead to October 13 with “Joe Kidd”.
Final night of operation was September 11, 1983 with the films “Octopussy” and “Krull”
AW, FUDGESICLE! I was hoping and praying that this one would reopen but just found out that a good portion of it is now GONE-ZO. At least I got to visit there once and got some great photos to remember it as it was
A moment of silence as it was regretfully announced last night that the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In is now officially closed for good. Final night of operation was November 1, 2015
The Eastland was actually located on McKeesport Blvd (now East Pittsburgh-McKeesport Blvd.) just off U.S. 30. The last listing I found for this theater in the Pittsburgh paper was August 5, 1993, although I have no further confirmation on this as yet.
Nice job with listing the movies that played at the South Park, RSM3853. Although I do remember riding past it a several times when I was a kid, I sadly never had the pleasure of actually visiting the drive-in. If only we could REALLY do the Marty McFly trip…
The screen tower came down last week on October 21. Everything else from the speakers and poles, snack bar and playground equipment was already gone and the field was overgrown.
There are some dark clouds starting to brew overhead here. Sheetz is apparently looking to wipe out another drive-in (and a piece of American culture) by building on the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In site…which makes absolutely no sense since there’s already a Sheetz down the road from the drive-in.
To expand on jwmovies' comment on location…According to the newspaper listings, the original entrance to the drive-in was, in fact, on Mosside Blvd/PA 48. The listings also showed the drive-in as “around the corner from Kaufmann’s” (coincidentally the former site of the Pittsburgh Drive-In that closed the previous year) and “Parkway East 22 Exit 16 — stay on 48 South”
By 1972, the entrance was relocated. Instead of staying straight on PA 48 South, patrons turned left onto Northern Pike, then right on Drive-In Lane (before the entrance to the former Westinghouse Energy Center) and down to the box office.
The July 23 edition of the Post Gazette first showed the drive-in’s new (and final) designated address of 4340 Northern Pike.
Forbes Hospital now occupies the former drive-in site. The “Drive-In Lane” off Northern Pike is still there but it’s a dead-end now.
Final night of operation was either September 27 or 28, 1976. The September 29 edition of The Pittsburgh Press reported construction of a Gold Circle department store on the Ardmore Drive-In site to begin the following month. The confusion of the actual closing date comes from the same article; it indicates that it “closed Monday” (27th), but there is a listing for the Ardmore in the following day’s paper (28th).
The Pix Drive-In opened on July 29, 1955. This was located on River St. at North Washington Ave, next to the recently-closed Candlelite Stadium. Just over a month later on September 2, the Candlelite Drive-In opened on the old stadium site at River and Evergreen Sts. After the 1956 season, the two drive-ins merged under the E.M. Loew’s banner and opened as Candlelite-Pix Twin on April 5, 1957. From Historic Aerials, you can see the stadium in the 1949 satellite photo; followed by the drive-in sites in the next available photo from 1960.
Sad news. The Weirs Drive-In’s final night of operation was this past Monday, September 4. The owner has decided to retire and sold the land for condos and other so-called “progress”.
It was said the the owner’s son will take ownership of all the theater-related equipment and start searching for land to build a new drive-in theater with it. Of course, I’ll be pulling for him.
Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of visiting the Weirs. I was always hoping to, but was never able to plan it.
Sadly, the Corry Drive-In itself is now GONE-ZO. Demolition started in February or March and was completed April 3.
According to the ads in the Arizona Republic, the Velda Rose was to open on October 6, 1972 with the film “War Between Men and Women”, but this was pushed ahead to October 13 with “Joe Kidd”.
Final night of operation was September 11, 1983 with the films “Octopussy” and “Krull”
Grand opening was on October 23, 1971 with the film “Big Jake” starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.
Grand opening of the Southland 9 was May 23, 1986. Thus, it lasted just over 30 years.
The site is now occupied by a new housing development called Villas of Economy
The original big screen tower was torn down yesterday (1/17). The snack bar and second screen are still standing at this point.
Uh-oh. The letters on the marquee have been removed and the site fenced off.
As of 2016, the Hilltop is on hiatus until they obtain the funds for a digital projector. Let’s hope and pray that they get one soon.
AW, FUDGESICLE! I was hoping and praying that this one would reopen but just found out that a good portion of it is now GONE-ZO. At least I got to visit there once and got some great photos to remember it as it was
A moment of silence as it was regretfully announced last night that the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In is now officially closed for good. Final night of operation was November 1, 2015
http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/10263060-74/drive-twin-theater
The Eastland was actually located on McKeesport Blvd (now East Pittsburgh-McKeesport Blvd.) just off U.S. 30. The last listing I found for this theater in the Pittsburgh paper was August 5, 1993, although I have no further confirmation on this as yet.
Nice job with listing the movies that played at the South Park, RSM3853. Although I do remember riding past it a several times when I was a kid, I sadly never had the pleasure of actually visiting the drive-in. If only we could REALLY do the Marty McFly trip…
This drive-in should be designated as Open. Here is their website: http://stardustmorden.tripod.com/
Pittsburgh native Frank Gorshin worked as an usher at the Sheridan Square Theater…years before becoming an actor and riddling crime on Gotham City
To whomever is in charge of editing the overviews: Please change Burgunder Dodge to Gillece Home Services. Thank you
The screen tower came down last week on October 21. Everything else from the speakers and poles, snack bar and playground equipment was already gone and the field was overgrown.
There are some dark clouds starting to brew overhead here. Sheetz is apparently looking to wipe out another drive-in (and a piece of American culture) by building on the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In site…which makes absolutely no sense since there’s already a Sheetz down the road from the drive-in.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/577/652/805/save-the-twin-hi-way-drive-in-theater/
To expand on jwmovies' comment on location…According to the newspaper listings, the original entrance to the drive-in was, in fact, on Mosside Blvd/PA 48. The listings also showed the drive-in as “around the corner from Kaufmann’s” (coincidentally the former site of the Pittsburgh Drive-In that closed the previous year) and “Parkway East 22 Exit 16 — stay on 48 South”
By 1972, the entrance was relocated. Instead of staying straight on PA 48 South, patrons turned left onto Northern Pike, then right on Drive-In Lane (before the entrance to the former Westinghouse Energy Center) and down to the box office.
The July 23 edition of the Post Gazette first showed the drive-in’s new (and final) designated address of 4340 Northern Pike.
Forbes Hospital now occupies the former drive-in site. The “Drive-In Lane” off Northern Pike is still there but it’s a dead-end now.
Final night of operation, according to the listings in the Pittsburgh papers, was September 16, 1968
Final night of operation was either September 27 or 28, 1976. The September 29 edition of The Pittsburgh Press reported construction of a Gold Circle department store on the Ardmore Drive-In site to begin the following month. The confusion of the actual closing date comes from the same article; it indicates that it “closed Monday” (27th), but there is a listing for the Ardmore in the following day’s paper (28th).
The address should read as 5191 Library Road, not Liberty Road
The screen is now gone as well
The Pix Drive-In opened on July 29, 1955. This was located on River St. at North Washington Ave, next to the recently-closed Candlelite Stadium. Just over a month later on September 2, the Candlelite Drive-In opened on the old stadium site at River and Evergreen Sts. After the 1956 season, the two drive-ins merged under the E.M. Loew’s banner and opened as Candlelite-Pix Twin on April 5, 1957. From Historic Aerials, you can see the stadium in the 1949 satellite photo; followed by the drive-in sites in the next available photo from 1960.
Original grand opening date as the Twin Ranch was February 28, 1952