99 W Drive-In
3110 Portland Road,
Newberg,
OR
97132
3110 Portland Road,
Newberg,
OR
97132
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I saw a couple of movies in that twin-screen indoor facility back in the mid 80s. I’m pretty sure it was in that big building attached to the snack bar. It looks like the building is still there, so I’m not sure where the extra parking came from for the outdoor screen. Maybe there were some parking spots reserved for the indoor screens that they freed up?
The two movies I remember seeing on the indoor screens were “The Gods Must Be Crazy”, and “Flash Gordon” with Topol. Both were made in 1980, but I saw them in 1985 or 1986, so the indoor screens were definitely showing second run films back then.
Here’s the link to its National Register of Historic Places entry: https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/14000401.htm
The Newberg Graphic said in a 2016 article that there had been a twin-screen indoor theater on the drive-in property. It showed hand-me-down prints from the downtown Cameo and the 99W. When both went digital, they “opted to close the twin theaters and utilize some of the freed-up space for additional parking for the drive-in screen.” But even with that, the Graphic said that only “(b)etween 250 and 300 cars can fit in the drive-in space”.
The 99W drive-in has just been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, #14000401
Yup, congratulations are in order. They won a video projector from Honda’s contest. :)
Honda is giving away four projectors.
The 99W is winner #5 from Honda’s ProjectDriveIn. Still waiting to hear when the conversion process will be done.
The Twin Cinema opened June 15, 1983 with Superman 3 and Blue Thunder. Plans for the theater date back to 1978 with proposed development of new theaters coming to Newberg.
The 99W Drive-In has changed little over the past 50 years. It has remained in the same family and the snackbar is quite original and fun. In the projection booth reel to reel change overs are still being performed as they were in the good old days. In between features there is a vintage intermission reel to add to the atmosphere. Historical value is very important here as it is at the Cameo theatre across town. Showing support to vintage theatres is getting more important as larger multi-plexes try to bully their way into small towns.
Here is an interesting article concerning the owner of the 99W, among other things:
http://tinyurl.com/lttn2