Hilltop Drive-In

4125 Nowata Road,
Bartlesville, OK 74006

300 cars

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Griffith Amusement Company, RKO, Video Independent Theaters Inc.

Architects: Jack M. Corgan

Previous Names: Hill-Top Drive-In

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Hilltop Drive-In

The Hilltop Drive-In was opened on October 9, 1948. It was not fancy, but did serve its purpose of presenting movie entertainment under the stars in a clean, comfortable setting.

The Hilltop Drive-In had a 300 car capacity, and was operated by (RKO subsidiary) Video Independent Theatres. Bartlesville was the first American city to have cable television subscription service. RKO Cable quickly absorbed this profitable enterprise.

Contributed by Cactus Jack

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

raybradley
raybradley on May 29, 2009 at 7:02 pm

This site has sketchy detail of the Hilltop & states the drive-in has been demolished -
View link

raybradley
raybradley on June 25, 2009 at 4:33 pm

Oklahoma Historical Society has a vintage photo of the “High Tech” engineered Hilltop (misspelled Hilton) Drive-In. To view image type in word “Hilton” View link

jwmovies
jwmovies on October 12, 2012 at 11:52 am

Approx. address for this drive-in was 4125 Nowata Road. Now the city’s newspaper Examiner-Enterprise’s office. Behind the office, part of the outline though barely visible is still there.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 24, 2020 at 11:47 am

Boxoffice, Oct. 23, 1948: “BARTLESVILLE, OKLA. – The new Hill Top Drive-In here, a Griffith Bros. showcase located three miles east of the city on the Nowata road, was to be opened October 8. The ozoner accommodates 500 cars and cost an estimated $130,000.”

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on August 30, 2021 at 7:37 am

aka Hill-Top Drive-In - its most advertised name in the 1950s before becoming the Hilltop Drive-In thereafter.

Kenmore
Kenmore on May 21, 2024 at 9:39 pm

Although a new building has covered up part of the ramps on the eastern side, you can still barely make out part of the ramps to the south of the newspaper offices.

I’m curious of the origins to the name “Hilltop” as the ground around the property is rather flat.

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