Whitetail Drive-In
810 Theatre Road,
Lemmon,
SD
57638
810 Theatre Road,
Lemmon,
SD
57638
2 people
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Rainbow Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The Rainbow Drive-In opened in June 1951. It was operated by the owners of the town’s Rainbow Theatre (formerly the Grand Theatre) L. Kressley. From April 1955 it was operated by E. Borud. The Rainbow Drive-In was closed in 1960.
In 1968 it was reopened as the Whitetail Drive-In, and was operated by Jim Svihovec from Spearfish, SD. He operated it until 1967 when he sold the drive-in to Randy Thornsley of Sturgis, SD.
The Whitetail Drive-in was closed in 1978 after the screen tower was knocked down by a big storm.
Contributed by
Randy Studer, Raven Christman
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Is Whitetail a Native American name?
When I Google “Whitetail”, the first result is deer. I’m guessing that was the inspiration for the name.
Per a note in Motion Picture Daily, Ernie Borud bought the drive-in in April 1955 along with the Kressley-owned drive-in in Mobridge SD.
Boxoffice, March 8, 1976: “Randall Thornsley of Chugatch Entertainment Co., headquartered in Sturgis, S.D., has taken over operation of the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D.; the Wagon Wheel Drive-In, Hettinger, N.D., and the Whitetail Drive-In, Lemmon, S.D.”
Boxoffice, July 18, 1977: “The White Tail Drive-In, Lennon, S.D., and the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D., have been transferred to the Minneapolis Paramount territory from Denver. They were originally in the Minneapolis branch territory but were switched to Denver a couple of years ago. Both screens are owned by J. M. Svihovec.”
Sounds like this drive-in opened in June 1951, although the note doesn’t name it.
Boxoffice, July 14, 1951: “Owner Lloyd T. Dressly rushed the new drive-in at Lemmon to completion for a June opening. All underground wiring was laid, ramps completed and projection booth ready at the junction of Highways 73 and 12, a mile west of Lemmon, for the opening and other construction was finished the week after the premiere.”
A closer address is 810 Theatre Rd, Lemmon, SD.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property.
The drive-in is intact in 1973, although trees and shrubs virtually surround the screen. By 1983, the drive-in was demolished with the projection booth being the only remnant still standing today.
https://tinyurl.com/muwtdzfe