Hi-Way 82 Drive-In
US 82 and Marshall Drive,
Tifton,
GA
31794
US 82 and Marshall Drive,
Tifton,
GA
31794
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Martin Theatres
Previous Names: Marbro Drive-In
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Anyone ripping down to Florida on I-75 goes right down the middle of Tifton, Georgia. It is in the middle of gnat country so how folks watched a drive-in movie on those hot summer months, well, it must have been an adventure. I have been to Tifton, but ask a local about past drive-ins like I did while eating, and no one has a clue except for the little multi-plex at the mall.
The Hi-Way 82 Drive-In on Georgia State Road 82 connects Tifton with Albany and Waycross. The Hi-Way 82 Drive-In parked 275 cars and opened by Martin Theatres on September 9, 1953 with Ann Sheridan in “Just Across the Street”. It was still open in 1965, but had closed by 1966
Contributed by
Mike Rogers
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
There was a second drive-in on US 82 in Tifton, which was closed due to construction of I-75, and is underneath part of the southeast section of the US 82/I-75 cloverleaf.
Here is a 1972 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
The other drive-in was further west on US 82 near Carpenter Rd, which is visible on Google Earth using historic aerial imagery.
Which one was the Hi-Way 82 and which was the Pines Drive-In? Your guess is as good as mine.
There also may have been a Marbo Drive-In located in Tifton, as mentioned on the Drive-ins.com site.
Chuck, US 82 is the same as Albany Hwy.
The Marbro must have originally been the 82 drive in or the Pines drive in. It was west of the city of Tifton on US 82. When I saw it several years ago, the marquee, screen, concession/projection and boxoffice was still standing with a road cut through the middle. The marquee had an advertisment for the local newspaper and there was an old lamphouse laying on the grown.
My Dad managed the Tift Theatre, the MARBRO Drive-In was named for the Martin Brothers, they had theatres all over Georgia and Alabama. The Pines was on US Hwy 82, going towards Albany. My Dad built the SPAR-DEL Drive-In loacated between Adel and Sparks, just to the side of the Bridge going over the railroad tracks on US Hwy 41. He also built the one in Apopka, FL, named LINDA – after my Sister.
Looks like the marquee is still being used by Patrick Tractor.
The Hi-Way 82 appears that it was opened in the early 1960s. I am not sure if it closed after just half-a-decade, it might be later than that.
Both 1972 and 1983 aerial views show the Hi-Way 82 Drive-In with its screen and glory, and in operating shape as well. Despite being gone by the early-1990s, the screen managed to stand for a while after Marshall Drive was made.
the Hi-Way 82 Drive-In opened on September 10th, 1953.
This one is hard to track down ad this drive-in did not do any newspaper ads except for the grand opening ad. Last mention in the newspaper is 1955.
The Hi-Way 82 Drive-In is a separate drive-in that didn’t last long, which I’ll create a separate CT page momentarily. In the meantime, this here is the Marbro Drive-In, the fourth and final drive-in to open in Tifton.
The Marbro Drive-In opened its gates by Martin Theatres on December 17, 1965 with Elvis in “Tickle Me” and Tommy Kirk in “Pajama Party” featuring a capacity of 480 cars, a 40x80ft CinemaScope screen and a cafeteria-style concession stand. This was the replacement of the Pines Drive-In that closed that same year. It was still open into the mid-1980s.