Starlite Drive-In
3087 W. 5th Street,
Lumberton,
NC
28358
3087 W. 5th Street,
Lumberton,
NC
28358
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previous Names: Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The Drive-In was opened on March 22, 1948 and was operated by H.L. Bailey. It had a capacity for 150-cars. In September 1949 it had been renamed Starlite Drive-In and was operated by Jerry H. Munday, and still with a 150-car capacity. It is visible in aerial photos from 1951 and 1955 by which time it had a capacity for 200-cars and was still operated by Jerry h. Munday. Closing date unknown however newspaper advertisements appear to have ceased in 1963. The drive-in was eventually demolished in the 1970’s and a trailer park was built in its place.
Contributed by
Paul Kennett
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Opened on March 22, 1948 as the Lumberton Drive-In. It was renamed the Starlite the following year.
This drive-in appears to have closed in the 1950s as a 1960 aerial shows the screen is gone.
I know what you mean Kenmore but there were newspaper ads in 1963, the aerial you refer to kind of looks distorted so I’m not sure how accurate it is.
I’m not sure what you mean by “distorted” as I’ve seen plenty of aerials that are not 100% clear.
I have yet to run across an aerial that was not properly dated by NETR because the photographs themselves are time and date stamped when they were shot. I had to use such a photo to prove that another drive-in received its second screen 10 years before the description on this site stated it happened.
Having said that, this may be an exception not because of the condition of the aerial, but because there is a large tree present at the back of the drive-in behind where the ticket booth used to be.
Trees of that size take several years to grow. And since the 1955 aerial shows no such tree at all, then NETR might’ve messed this one up.
The Robesonian of Lumberton published an ad that said that “Lumberton’s Only Drive-In Theatre” would open on March 22, 1948. Subsequent ads that year mentioned “Lumberton’s Drive-In” until July 9, when it changed to Lumberton Drive-In. (Keeping “Drive-In” as a previous name is a good idea.)
The Lumberton advertised in the Robesonian through August 1949. In early September, its ads changed to the “Star Light”, followed a couple of weeks later by “Starlite”.
The possible answer as to why the Starlite continued advertising until at least August 1963 despite the appearance of its original site is that at some point, it moved. (A separate, later note said it was on West 5th Street.)
Robesonian, Aug. 8, 1971: “Jerry H. Mundy (then managing) the 211 Drive-In … His father bought the old Starlite drive-in around 1950 and moved it to its present location. (This was to accommodate construction of the interstate. It was originally across the street.) Television killed the Starlite. In the 1950’s, his father owned not only the Starlite but also the Model Drive-In on 211 and, in 1954, he bought the 211 Drive-In. After the latter purchase, he closed down the Model because Lumberton had no use for three drive-in theatres. Then the Starlite was closed when television became popular.”
The correct address is 3087 W 5th St, Lumberton, NC.
It appears intact and operational in 1955 and 1960. It’s still intact in 1971, but does not appear operational. The clincher is that the drive-in is located at the intersection of West 5th Street and Starlite Drive, so I highly doubt it is a coincidence.
Today, it is mostly empty with only hints that ramps once existed on the property.
The drive-in at 4665 NC-211, Lumberton, NC is a different drive-in. It’s not the “original” site of the Starlite because it’s on the wrong highway and east of Lumberton, not west as the ad states.
https://tinyurl.com/4p3e2kmn
MichaelKilgore - If your information is correct, then the drive-in at 4665 NC-211 is probably the Model Drive-In.
It does seem that the 1960 aerial of the Model Drive-In is accurate in terms of its date since it was clearly demolished save for the projection booth.
However, I cannot explain how a tree which was not there in 1955 grew to such sizable proportions in less than five years. But perhaps that is a mystery best left to others to solve.
I’m very sure Kilgore is 100% right. The Model Drive-In is very short-lived though, only operating for four seasons between 1951 and 1955. I also found out that the Model was briefly renamed the Melody for only its final eight months of operation.