Twinkle Star Drive-In
Charlotte Road and Old Winter Haven Road,
Auburndale,
FL
33823
Charlotte Road and Old Winter Haven Road,
Auburndale,
FL
33823
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Nothing had been constructed on the property in a 1952 aerial. So it most likely didn’t open until 1953 at the earliest.
The 1957 aerial is most interesting as the projection booth seems to have been on the back of the lot. That is quite a throw for a projector, which is normally much closer to the screen.
The entrance/exit behind the screen is now obliterated as HWY92 was expanded over that part of the property. The entrance off Charlotte Street is also totally gone. I’m not sure which entrance was the main one since the details in the aerial aerial are difficult to see.
Today, there are only parch marks of a partial outline and the ramps. It remains an open field.
Closed In 1962.
Boxoffice, Oct. 10. 1953: “AUBURNDALE, FLA. - D. C. Laird has sold the Twinkle Star Drive-In here. The new owner, Talgar Theatres, has taken over operation of the airer.”
If you go to this intersection on google earth, you can indeed still make out the ramps in the terrain.
Interesting name!!
Approx. location for this drive-in was just north of Charlotte Rd & Old Winter Haven Rd. Dairy is north of Hwy 92, drive-in was SE of the highway.
I’ve confirmed with Judy Crews, a lady who has worked in drive-in theatres since 1958, that the Twinkle Star was indeed on the corner of 92 & Dairy Road. She said it’s still a vacant lot, and the ramps are still visable.
It parked 190 cars and was owned by Talgar theatre co,Out of Lakeland. Flordia.B.B.Garner,president,Mamie Newman was the booker.
Great! 3084 US 92.
Here is a 1957 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
The theater appears to have been operating until at least 1959. One newspaper ad I found leads me to believe it was at the northwest corner of US 92 and Dairy Road. This makes sense, too, as this area has historically been the black side of town.
I don’t know the crossroad, but I highly doubt anything is left. Fifty years' time has really changed a lot of Central Florida, even in sleepy, time-warpy Auburndale.
Does anyone know the crossroad or if any remains of the drive-in are left?