Hatch Drive-In
995 E. Hall Street,
Hatch,
NM
87937
995 E. Hall Street,
Hatch,
NM
87937
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Drive-In
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The Drive-In was opened on October 13, 1946. On October 25, 1947, Motion Picture Daily reported, “Marlin Butler, owner Albuquerque, N. M., theatres, buys Hatch and Drive In, Hatch, N. M., from Mrs. S. E. Allen.”
The Film Daily Year Book first included the Hatch, as simply “Drive In,” in its 1949 edition.
The first Theatre Catalog drive-in list in 1948-49 included the Drive-In of Hatch on US 85, owner John Bohannon, Bohannon Bros., capacity 100, status closed. The next year, it was off the list although it was still open in November 1948.
In his 2018 book Historic Movie Theatres of New Mexico, Jeff Berg wrote, “North of Las Cruces lies the chili capital of New Mexico, Hatch. … I found a small footnote that mentioned the Hatch Drive-In, with no real opening or closing dates, as well as three indoor theatres: the Bohannon Theatre, Mission Theatre and Palace Theatre”.
In 1977, Bob Christensen took photos of a triangular adobe screen tower then standing “in the vicinity of Hatch, NM.”
Contributed by
Michael Kilgore
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
I believe I found it.
The address is 995 E Hall St, Hatch, NM.
The drive-in was located just SE of the town.
A 1956 aerial shows what appears to be a drive-in at that location. It’s small enough for the 100 cars and seems to have a screen at the SE corner. The drive-in was also enclosed by a fence with trees or bushes.
Today, it appears to be private property with no trace of the drive-in remaining. The entrance to the property has also changed as it was slightly further SE, but this is the current address.
https://tinyurl.com/wc3oyht
This note in the June 26, 1948 Motion Picture Herald sounds like the end of the story: “Bohanan Bros. have bought the Mission and Drive-In, Hatch, N. M., from Marlin Butler. They have closed the drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 14, 1948: “HATCH, N. M. – The drive-in theatre here is being remodeled in preparation for an April opening. Wilson Butler, manager of the Mission, said the showplace would be equipped with in-car speakers and ramps for cars, the walls would be built up and the screen refinished.”
Tip of the hat to the Reference Desk at New Mexico State Library in Santa Fe. Now we have a solid opening date - Oct. 13, 1946.
Hatch Reporter, Oct. 11, 1946: “The Drive-in theatre which is being erected by Dick Allen, owner of the Mission Theatre, just east of the McCullough Tourist Court on Highway 85 east of Hatch will be opened to the public Sunday, October 13th, according to Mr. Allen. The theatre will be a 150 capacity; the screen is 30 feet high and the screening will be a 25 foot square picture; the speaking system will have four large speakers and will use De Vey machinery RCA sound system … next summer there will be a lawn and lawn chairs for those who wish to sit in the open. Showings will be made Sunday and Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and Saturdays, and the prices will be 40c for adults and 10c for children.”
Last year, the New Mexico State Library sent me another Hatch Reporter ad that had drive-in dates through Nov. 9, 1948.
The drive-in also looked pretty intact in that 1955 aerial photo, though the desert air is good at preserving such things.