Parsons Drive-In
1754 24000 Road,
Parsons,
KS
67357
1754 24000 Road,
Parsons,
KS
67357
1 person
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The Parsons Drive-In stood east of the town on the north side of 24000 Road. Opened on May 6, 1948 with Walter Brennan in “Home in Indiana”, it was operated by Stein Theatres Inc. It was later operated by Commonwealth Theatres and finally by B&B Theatre who closed it on July 4, 1988 and sometime afterwards was demolished.
Today, there are three small businesses on the southern end of the property, but you can still clearly see the outline and the ramps of the drive in.
Contributed by
Ken McElhaney
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
About ½ mile to the west of Parsons Drive-In, sitting on the south side of Main Street on Queens Rd looks the remnants of a drive-in. A 1958 aerial shows the outline and ramps, but no screen or projection booth/concession stand.
Today, the ramps and outline are still present and what appears to be the foundation for the screen. However, there is no indication that this drive-in ever opened or that it was even completed.
Does anyone have any information about this drive-in, assuming it ever opened?
I was told those ramps are actually erosion terraces.
Interesting. Erosion terraces are usually associated with steep slopes to help grow crops while preserving the soil. While the land does not seem to fit either description, I’m more than willing to accept it as the answer save for a couple of things.
You can clearly see what appears to be a screen foundation. In addition, the 1958 aerial shows what appears to be separate entrance and exit roads which are unnecessary for erosion terraces.
Oh well, if it was never completed, then it was never a drive-in. So, it would not have a separate entry here.
Well, now I have someone telling me that he went to that drive in in the early 50’s, and he thought it was called the Katy. The MKT railroad (also called “The Katy”) was in Parsons. This person also said it wasn’t in business for long. There was competition just down the road from the Parsons Drive In. I was born and raised in Parsons, btw.
The snack bar at the Parsons Drive In (which also held the projection room) burned down but was rebuilt.
The 1958 aerial shows the ramps and outline, but no foundation for the projection booth/snack bar. It’s somewhat unusual for such foundations to be removed unless the land is being plowed or used for new buildings. Which is why I believed it was still being built in 1958 and not already completed and then closed.
If more information on the Katy Drive-In can be found, it would make a good entry.
The only thing that I have found is that there was a Katy Theater in downtown Parsons in the 1940’s. You can see it in a picture on the page about the Parsons Theater.
The Parsons Drive-In Theatre launched on May 6, 1948 by Louis Stein with “Home in Indiana” supported by a cartoon and newsreel. Stein Theatres sold the theatre to Commonwealth Theatres Circuit which - in turn - sold it to B&B.Theatres Circuit.
B&B closed it in the wee hours of July 4, 1988 citing lack of attendance. The Parsons went out in style with an all night lineup of “Crocodile Dundee II,” “Vice Versa,” “Dirty Dancing,” and “La Bamba.”
Joplin (MO) News Herald, Aug. 1, 1968: “Extensive damage was done to the concession stand and projection equipment at the Parsons drive-in theater by fire about 8 o'clock Wednesday night. The blaze apparently started in the vicinity of the popcorn machine. The Parsons fire department went to the scene and was there nearly an hour and a half. The theater was closed after the fire due to damage to the equipment. There were no injuries.”
A house has now been constructed on the property ½ mile to the west of the Parsons Drive-In that has obliterated what might have been the remains of a previous drive-in. However, it does appear that the screen foundation may still be in place. Or not, it is difficult to really see as it appears to be a line of blocks.
A 1956 aerial shows the uncompleted drive-in with ramps and outline, but without a screen or projection booth.
Whether this was initially constructed before or after the Parsons Drive-In I cannot say. But it appears that an attempt to construct a drive-in was made and never completed.