Tidwell Drive-In

Boxoffice, Sept. 10, 1955: “One of the Gulf coast’s most modern and de luxe drive-ins, the new Tidwell, had its formal opening at Tidwell and Homestead roads here Thursday (1) under the management of H. D. "Cotton” Griffith. The Tidwell is owned by Griffith with H. N. Mitchamore and Associates. Mitchamore is owner of the Market Street Drive-In of which Griffith has been manager the last six years. The new Tidwell has a 900-car capacity and a 90x20-foot patio with seating capacity for 200 persons. There are 17 ramps, slag-topped with steel waste from the Sheffield Steel Co. The tower is built 20 telephone poles with asbestos siding … The screen measures 110x50 feet and projection throw is 420 feet."