Mt. Elden Drive-In

2710 Historic Route 66,
Flagstaff, AZ 86004

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MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on July 12, 2021 at 3:05 pm

The Mt. Elden’s last show was Sunday, Oct. 9, 1977, when it showed “Eat My Dust” and “Thunder and Lightning.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on December 18, 2019 at 11:31 am

Hmm, the Mt. Elden was three miles east of downtown Flagstaff. Boxoffice, Oct. 20, 1951: “FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ. – Construction has been started on a 500-car drive-in five miles east of here. It will be operated by Harry L. Nace and Ray Olmstead, representing Northern Arizona Theatres.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 9, 2019 at 10:04 pm

In Flagstaff’s Arizona Daily Sun from Sept. 25, 1976:

“(25 Years Ago in the Sun) … Harry Nace and Ray Olmstead have begun construction of the area’s first drive-in type theater, Guy Ellis, manager of Northern Arizona Theaters Inc., which will operate the establishment, said today.”

The Mt. Elden advertised in the Daily Sun through at least October 1977. A January 1978 police blotter note mentioned vandalism there, but by May 1978 it was being referred to as the “now-defunct” Mt. Elden Drive-In Theater.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 9, 2019 at 8:07 pm

According to Historic Aerials, the screen faced east to an unusually rectangular field. It was still there in 1980, but the whole lot had been taken over by the USPS by 1997. Topo maps listed it in 1965-76, then gone in 1983.

Motion Picture Almanac mentions:

  • 1955-59: Owner Harry L. Nace Theas., Inc. (no capacity listed)
  • 1960-66: off the list
  • 1969-76: Capacity 490
  • 1977-79: Capacity 800, Owner Nace
  • 1980: off the list (for good this time)
rivest266
rivest266 on January 27, 2019 at 9:44 am

Better quality ad when clicked on: Mt. Elden Drive-In openingMt. Elden Drive-In opening Thu, May 28, 1953 – 5 · Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Coconino, Arizona, United States of America) · Newspapers.com