Trail Drive-In
1351 Richland Avenue,
Enid,
OK
73703
1351 Richland Avenue,
Enid,
OK
73703
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Yes about a year back a man was working on clearing it out in hopes of reopening, yet I fear he caused more harm then good as he tore out many old remnants of the drive-in just to abandon the plan and it has since been overgrown again
A September 2023 Google Street View shows the entrance/exit roads have been cleaned up. The debris has been removed and the trees which lined the roads have been cut down. However, the trees that are between the entrance and exit roads are still standing.
So, something must be happening with the property after all this time.
The Trail Drive-In opened its gates on June 3, 1950 with “The Last Bandit” along with two unnamed cartoons. A little unique fact is that the opening and intermission music on opening day were reproduced from Columbia microgroove recordings.
Kenmore is it true there is a 1954 and 1981 aerial of the drive in. If so could you link the photos
I’m not trying to change the address of the drive in.
I’m pointing out that the old entrance/exit roads connect the drive in to HWY 81, not Richland Ave.
A 1954 and 1981 aerials show that when the drive in was operational, it was not connected to Richland Ave. The access to Richland Ave didn’t show up until a 2008 aerial.
2602 S Van Buren St, Enid, OK puts the Google marker right on the entrance roads. But again, I’m not making the argument that the address should be changed given that the entrance roads have debris and appear not to be usable at this time.
A news article regarding the possiblity of someone purchasing the old drive in theater and reopen it at https://www.koco.com/article/enid-drive-in-movie-theater-sale-40-years-abandonment/39481248 on March 19,2022
A more accurate address for this theater is 1351 Richland Ave, Enid, OK 73703. This points directly to the entrance road.
Please update.
Was there a trail there once?
I grew up in Enid. My parents took me to both drive ins in the 50’s. In the early 60’s while in High School I was at the Trail almost every week end in the summer months and when it was open in the winter. Many wonderful memories. The Trail was a very nice place. The Enid Drive in not always so nice. The Trail was on the sout side and the Enid up in North Enid, area near the Fair Grounds. I only lived a few blocks east and could watch the movie from our back yard. I am now 71 years old and haven’t lived in Enid since 1966 but have many wonderful memories.
Lauren Durbin: sorry but you are respectfully incorrect. The Enid Drive In Theatre was located off of Oxford Street across from the Enid fairgrounds and close to North Enid. I remember when the theatre was still open. It had two crescent moons facing each other with faces on them. This one got snuck into all the time because it was close to where people lived. I grew up near this one. The Trail drive inn is the one south of town. It is south of meadowlake park, just east of Van Buren road, behind and close to where the days Inn is located on vanburen. The remains of the screen are there, although the box housing and sign around the back of the screen have been removed. I remember this one better because it stayed open longer..closing in the 1980s. I saw the movies American graffiti and young Frankenstein here back in the early 1970’s with my family.
Undated exterior photo added, photo credit & copyright Oklahoma Historical Society. Via the Enid Oklahoma Old Post Cards Facebook page.
The correct address is:
Richland Ave & S.Taylor St. Enid, OK
Lauren, you are correct. The Trail Drive-In site is located on South Van Buren and the screen can still be seen from Highway 81.
Okie 78, the current owner of the Trail Drive-In site is Remax Premier Realtors in Enid. The concession stand is gone and the parking area is overgrown with trees coming up through the asphalt. It would take a major restoration effort to bring the theater back but there is a demand for it judging by the number of people who say they would support it.
I’m wanting to know whose the owner of that drive in. I would love to see about opening it back up.
Now and then photos of the Trail Drive-In can be seen on this link,
http://www.enidbuzz.com/driveinmovie.htm
This link has end of the Trail photos,
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/93
There were two drive-ins in Enid. One was called the Enid Drive-In and one was called the Trail Drive-In. I believe that we have the theaters flip-flopped here. The Trail Drive-In was located on the north side of town on Grand Ave. between Oxford and Cornell (see linked map). According to a friend that grew up in Enid, the Trail was demolished after a teen fell from the top of the screen tower. Mr. Carlisle’s images are of the Enid Drive-In.
Wonderful conparison between 1950 images when this drive-in was new, and Randy’s recent photos!
To view vintage images narrow search by typing in words “trail drive-in” -
View link
Could'nt pull up the Vintage Photos. BUT! You can have a look at
some of the photos I’ve taken just the other day, on November 9th. The Direct link is:
View link …
Enjoy!
Randy A. Carlisle
Historical Photographer
“Preserving AMERICAs History Thru Photography”
Vintage shots of this drive-in can be seen by typing in word “theatre …
View link