East Bend Twin Drive-In

Shortly before the East Bend Drive-In started construction in 1998, former WCPO-TV staff engineer David Schwarberg of Hamilton, Ohio, originally planned on constructing a drive-in theater in Maysville, Kentucky but the land deal fell through. Schwarberg immediately then found an ideal piece of farm land across the Ohio River near Decatur.

Schwarberg opened up the East Bend Drive-In along with his manager Wally Kemmeyer during a weekend of August 2000 as a single-screen drive-in. Schwarberg replied that what’s weird about the East Bend Drive-In is that the concession stand is in a tent rather than an actual building, and its ticket booth was located inside the owner’s barn. Another weird fact is that there are no strips of traces being found, as Google Earth shows only the screen (later screens), the barn, and the projection booth which was its actual small booth building.

But unfortunately on March 13, 2001, its 100x50ft screen was completely destroyed by severe thunderstorms. Schwarberg did not have any money to rebuild, so area residents and officials came to the rescue organizing bake sales and other fundraisers in order to rebuilt the screens.

On the 4th of July 2002, the East Bend Drive-In reopened its gates with an 80x40ft screen and two radio frequencies for sound (88.1 and 95.5 FM). According to Schwarberg, they replied that the current films they screened were not as bright and it takes a lot of light to project the screen. A second screen was added in mid-2005.

The East Bend Twin Drive-In closed after the 2012 season and was demolished a short time later that same year.

Status should be closed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/4642386437/

Never mind, found the screens on the overhead view. Hard to spot when there is no defined rows at all. The big old pond threw me off….