Midway Drive-In
2707 S. Virginia Street,
Reno,
NV
89502
2707 S. Virginia Street,
Reno,
NV
89502
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Motion Picture Herald, April 7, 1956: “WASHINGTON: National Theatres will ask the New York District Court for permission to acquire the Midway drive-in theatre near Reno, Nevada, according to Justice Department officials. No date has yet been set for the court hearing. The drive-in, about two miles southeast of Reno, has a 443-car capacity, and can be expanded to an 800-car capacity. Floyd C. Bernard is the present operator.”
Based on aerial photos, the Midway expanded its capacity between 1948 and 1966.
FYI two Century mega domes were built in the rear of the theater on the southeast side. They survived several years after the drive in closed. The Peppermill kept expanding over the years until they were gone.
Closed in 1982.
Opened as Motor-in with a cartoon comedy(not named), and “The Sullivans” and “Four girls in a jeep”. Renamed Midway Drive-in and opened with “Sitting pretty” and “Midnight serenade”. Opened as Midway 2 with on screen 1 with “Thunderball” and “You only live twice” and “Stranger in town” and screen 2 with “It’s a mad, mad, mad mad World” and “True grit”.
The address 195 Brinkby Ave today runs along the south edge of the drive-in. However, in the aerial photos of the drive-in in 1948, 66, and 67 no avenue can be seen, only the entrance road to the drive-in itself.
Clearly, the entrance road was the “avenue” and perhaps it did get an official designation from the city of Reno. In any case, both addresses lead to the same location at least on Google.
In the middle ad in the photo section it lists the address at 195 Brinkby Ave.
This opened on June 18th, 1946 as Motor-In. On June 4th, 1948 it reopened as the Midway drive-in, which had a second screen installed on February 10th, 1971. Three grand opening ads in the photo section.
Found It! The drive-in was located at 2707 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV. Aerial photos show it was in existence from 1948 and was still intact by the late 1960s.
Since then, it has been totally demolished and today the Peppermill stands on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining. http://tinyurl.com/h9qrz75