Beverly Drive-In
Old Airport Eoad and Edwards Street,
Hattiesburg,
MS
39401
Old Airport Eoad and Edwards Street,
Hattiesburg,
MS
39401
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2 screens on March 30th, 1979. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
This opened on May 29th, 1948. Grand opening ad already up.
A much closer address (for Google Maps) is Old Airport Rd & Edwards Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.
The problem with the 5320 U.S. Highway 49 Hattiesburg, MS address is that Edwards Street is “Business Highway 49”, not “U.S. Highway 49”. So Google maps it to the northwest of the city, not the southeast where the drive-in is located.
http://tinyurl.com/jofwhhb
A little trivia. This theater was named for the Hargroder’s daughter Beverly, with whom I attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in 1970-71.
According to the website All the Mississippi, the address for this Drive-in is 5320 U.S. Highway 49 Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Edwards Street is Business Highway 49.
Please update.
A better address is:
Old Airport Rd & Edwards Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
You may want to change the address, it is off about 6 miles Southeast of the Drive-In location. A better address would be U.S. Highway 49 and Edwards Street. The location shows the foundation of the screen concession stand and the golf course.
The home built beneath the screen had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a sun porch.
The Beverly screen tower and the home under it was destroyed in a fire. The concession and booth building was demolished. There is nothing left but a empty field. The vacant land is for sale
Can anyone please tell me if there is anything left on the site of the Beverly Drive-In? I’m driving across the state documenting drive-in’s, both operating and abandoned sites, and the photographs I’ve seen of this site looks really interesting
You’re welcome. I drove by the Beverly while in Hattiesburg just a few weeks ago. It is so sad to read the news article about its destruction. It was the second drive-in that was opened in this state. I kept hoping someone would reopen it. There are only two operating drive ins left in this state now. At one time there were four in my area(Beach, Do, Don & Moonlite)alone. All gone now.
Thanks, saulad, for the correction. This webpage has a slideshow of the Beverly; in some of the pictures, the manager’s residence under the original screen can be seen: View link
The Beverly was destroyed by an early morning fire on October 30, 2010, not September 30.
This drive-in, which had been closed, was destroyed by fire early in the morning on September 30, 2010. Story here: View link
The Beverly Drive-in never ran an R-rated movie.Goes to show you don’t have to throw trash on the screen to make a buck.
If you’re trying to find the theater on the map view, look a bit north from 5320 to where 49 meets with Edwards Street. The drive-in can be seen at that intersection.
Here is a view of the golf course in front of the drive-in:
http://tinyurl.com/ykos86k
The Beverly, the second Drive In Theatre opened in the state of Mississippi, is still owned by the family of Herb and Sue Hargroder. It had been leased to another operator, who ran it up to its closing due to damage by hurricaine Katrina in 2005.
Back in 1956 it parked 200 cars and was owned by H.Hargroder.
ADJ119, If you do not find the contact information you need in the Beverly’s Historical Registration, I will be glad to furnish you the owners contact information.
ADJ119, the last time I was in the area, the Beverly looked the same, looks like no repairs of any kind have been performed since Katrina in 2005. I have been told there is moisture damage in the concession and booth building. Screen two is down. The Beverly was listed in 2008 on the National Register of Historical places in Mississippi. This means it should be eligible for tax credits for the remodeling and rehab of the drive-in to get it operating again. The link below is for the National Register Registration of the Beverly. It should give you a lot of information you need.
View link
What is the best way to contact the current owner of the Beverly Drive-In?
theatreman1, As far I as know, the Beverly is still for sale. I read that another group was looking at it in May, but I do not know the outcome. In Sept of 2008 the Beverly was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi. So any rehab work could possibly qualify for tax credits. I understand there has been some moisture damage in the booth and concession areas. The asking price was $1,069,000 for the Beverly and its 12.27 acres of property. Below is the realtor listing link. View link
I sure hope that someone or group will get together and save this old Drive-In before its too late.
Quite a lot, does anyone know whom to contact, please send me a email, thanks!
The Beverly Drive In Theare in Hattiesburg, Ms is still for sale. The last I heard they were asking one and a half million for the property. The back screen is still down, but they seem to be keeping the grass cut. Hope someone or a group will purchase and persevere the Beverly for future generations of movie goers.
A group has formed on Facebook to try to do something about the Beverly. You can read about it at View link