Crystal Lake Drive-In
7382 Pingree Road,
Crystal Lake,
IL
60014
7382 Pingree Road,
Crystal Lake,
IL
60014
2 people
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Crystal Drive-In
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The Crystal Lake Drive-In opened on July 16, 1953 with Randolph Scott in “Hangman’s Knot”. Its name was soon afterward shortened to the Crystal Drive-In. This theater was located on Highway 14 at Pingree Road, in Crystal Lake. It could accommodate 750-cars and was operated by L.J. DeMarce.
The Crystal Drive-In was still open in May 1977. In 1981 it went back to its original Crystal Lake Drive-In name. It closed on October 17, 1982. It became vandalized and falling apart, the screen tower still stood, though the Crystal’s concession, projection and ticket structures were long ago demolished. The whole former drive-in property became very heavily overgrown, though surrounded by ever-expanding residential development.
Town houses were built on the site by 2005.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
A more accurate address for this theater is 7382 Pingree Rd, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. This points directly to the entrance road. Drive In Ln. is next to where the drive in stood.
Please update.
Actually, The Crystal Drive-In Opened On July 16th, 1953.
Opened with “Hangman’s knot”.
Correct.
UPDATE: The Crystal Drive-In Did Not Close In The Early 1970s. As Of May 1977, The Crystal Drive-In Was Still In Operation, I Am Not Sure If Its In Its Last Legs Or Not Because At The Time, The Crystal Drive-In There Started To Play Horror Flicks As Of The Mid-1970s I Believe. So I Believe Since The Late 1970s Or Early 1980s Is When The Drive-In Has Its Last Operations And It Was Closed. As For The Leftovers, The Pathway Was Still A Bit Visible As Of April 1988.
UPDATE: The Crystal Drive-In Was Renamed Back To Crystal Lake Drive-In Only During Its Last Year In Operation Until It Closed At The End Of The 1981 Season (May To Mid-September) With Rated R Films (A Bit Close For Being X). They Closed The Theater For Good After 2 Fights That Injured 8 People, With One Being On July 11th, 1981.
The First One Is Unknown, But The Second One Is Known. The Second One On July 11th, 1981: McHenry County Sheriff Respond To The Crystal Drive-In After A Fight. The Drive-In Employee Is Knocked Out, And One Of The Workers Was Told to Stop A Movie On The Projector That Happened Around 12:30 AM. Only 8 People Have Minor Injuries (All Between 17-20 Years Old). Crystal Lake Police Said That The Fight Occurred When A Vehicle Struck An Employee At The Parking Row Who Works At The Crystal Drive-In.
Throughout The Late 1970s And Early 1980s, 2 More Incidents Were Reported. A Robbery Occurred At The Crystal Drive-In On July 31st, 1977. And On June 20th, 1979, The Crystal Drive In’s Screen Was Sprayed With Black Paint According To The Manager. That Happened Around 12:30 AM When A Maintained Ladder Had Been Climbed Leading To The Wooden Platform Of The Screen. No Witnesses Or Suspects Have Been Reported At The Time.
On June 28th, 1955, The Crystal Drive-In Installed McHenry County’s Second CinemaScope Screen (The First Being The Miller Theatre In Woodstock On January 28th, 1954).
The remains of the drive-in could be seen as late as 2002. By 2005, the entire area had been cleared.
Today, the property holds several townhouses with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
My dad owned the theater until it closed. Always had a lot trouble with violence there. Manager was found murdered while he sleeping at theater. I remember he installed a high fence around the property thinking it would cut down on trouble. He eventually closed it and later gifted the property to his attorney for legal fees. He owned 53 Drive-In, Palatine and Skyline Drive-In, McHenry also.
Wow! The Crystal has to be one of the most dangerous drive-in theaters ever in U.S. history!