Skyway Drive-In
5966 Interstate Drive E.,
Amarillo,
TX
79102
5966 Interstate Drive E.,
Amarillo,
TX
79102
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The Skyway Drive-In was opened October 27, 1950 with “Sierra”. It was initially operated by Lester Dollison and was taken over in 1955 by H. Wilson & J. Fagan, of W.F.W. Theatres Inc. out of Dallas. In August 1961 it went over to playing Spanish language movies. It was closed February 22, 1964.
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Billy Smith / Don Lewis / Billy Holcomb
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Address should be: 5966 Interstate Dr E, Amarillo, TX 79118
Here is a link to a MapQuest image for this drive-in, ramps are still visible:
http://mapq.st/dDYNoU
The Skyway Drive-In opened October 27, 1950. Days before, the aviation-centric drive-in advertised $100 for a parachute jumper to deliver the first film to the drive-in. The first film was “Sierra.” Midway through August of 1961, the Skyway converted to Spanish language films. On February 22, 1964, the Skyway played its final two features with “Aladino y la Lámpara Maravillosa” and “No soy monedita de oro.” It was the first of the Weisenburg Drive-Ins in Amarillo to close leaving the Trail, Palo Duro, Tascosa and Twin in the portfolio.
A better address (at least for Google) is 6006 Interstate Access Road, Amarillo, TX. The drive-in was located on the south side of the road and appears to have closed because of the highway expansion.
The remnants of the ramps existed until recently and today the property has been plowed over and no trace remains.
http://tinyurl.com/y84urm6e
Clearly, Google Maps hates Texas' system of access roads running on both sides of the interstates there. I’m not sure I’m much of a fan myself.
Kenmore’s suggestion was probably just right 18 months ago, but now Google Maps prefers 5650 Interstate 40 Access Rd, the address of High Plains Tire & Diesel Service. The Skyway was just east of that business, west of the building for I-40 Truck Sales. The ramps were still visible in 2014 but are paved over now.
Historic Aerials shows that the screen was where I-40 is now.
Closure details from a much longer story by Earl Moseley writing in the Sept. 15, 1994 issue of The Tulia Herald:
My next chance to run a Mexican-made feature was during the summer of 1962 at the old Skyway Drive-In Theater on US 287 East at Amarillo. It was opened for six weeds (sic) because owners of the property felt that keeping it closed would result in the state paying a lesser price for the property. The highway department was scheduled to purchase it for the construction of Interstate 40.
…My wife …did not arrive until after Labor Day – the date the Skyway was closed for the season. However, the Skyway kept reopening each summer through 1964 because a deal hadn’t been closed yet with the highway department.
More info suggesting the rough condition of the Skyway in its final years, from Boxoffice, June 4, 1962: “There is no report as yet that the Skyway Drive-In will reopen this year. But judging from stories told by previous employes of this out-of-the-way ozoner concerning its nature wildlife, it is their belief it would have been an ideal site for "Cleopatra” to have gone on location. 20th-Fox would have had little difficulty casting the part of the asp"
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 15, 1962: “Crossroads Theatres has reopened the Skyway Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., with Mexican made pictures on a double bill at $1 a carload.”
Lester Dollison, who owned the Rex and Star theaters in Amarillo and others in Sherman, Denton, Wichita Falls and San Angelo, moved to Amarillo in May 1950 to establish his company headquarters there, per a note in the July 23, 1950 Amarillo Sunday News-Globe.
The 1953-54 Theatre Catalog still listed Dollison as the Skyway’s owner, but the 1955-56 edition changed that to H. Wilson and J. Fagan. The 1960 Motion Picture Almanac mentioned three owners - Weisenberg, Fagan & Wilson.