I’d be interested to know how the boat traffic was going to reach the drive-in. The drive-in is a good half-mile from the shoreline. There is a creek that runs from the lake near the drive-in, but it is quite small and doesn’t appear deep or wide enough to handle even small boats.
Perhaps there was a hotel next to the drive-in that was close enough for foot traffic from boaters who didn’t want to detach their trailers and could walk instead?
As late as 1981 the remnants of the drive-in were still visible, including the outline, ramps, and foundations of the projection booth/concession stand and screen.
Today, a Motel 6 sits on part of the property with the rest being undeveloped. But there is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
In comparing the 1957 aerial to the 1966 aerial, it’s apparent that the projection booth doubled in size. Whether this was extending the roof to cover the area in front of the projector or it was a structure with walls I cannot say.
But when you consider that it would take five rows of twenty seats to hold 100 people. And then add the room needed to hold the projectors, other equipment, and apparently a snack bar if they gave away coffee and candy, this structure just isn’t close to being big enough.
When given the choice to believe the press reports or my eyes, I’m going to go with my eyes every time. So, either the 104-seat theater was torn down before 1966, it was not located on the drive-in property, or (most likely) the 104 seating capacity was exaggerated by at least half.
A 1970 aerial shows a small projection booth. By 1983, the booth had expanded considerably and possibly contained a concession stand. By 2002, the screen had been removed.
Today, the projection booth/concession stand is still present and seems to have been expanded. You can still see the ramps, outline, and the ticket booth appears to be standing as well.
Perhaps I’m missing some of the history, but a 1970 aerial shows the drive-in completely demolished. Only the outline and ramps from the SW drive-in are visible.
By 1984, the drive-in had been rebuilt along with the indoor cinema.
Today, it’s all been demolished. The field is empty save for the outline of the drive-in, the ramps, and parts of the entrance roads which were made of concrete. The building that stood on the site was completely removed. Not even the foundation is visible.
A grand opening poster in the photo section indicates the location of the drive-in was at the intersection. That makes sense given the large amount of traffic, particularly on HWY 69.
The exact location remains in doubt. A 1973 aerial shows no remnants of a drive-in nearby. A guess is that the property might have become the home of the Wagoner Hospital, which was fairly new in 1973 at least at that location.
By 1993, the drive-in had been demolished. Only the outline, ramps, and foundation for the projection booth/concession stand remained.
By 2004, the property had been resurfaced removing almost all the remaining traces of the drive-in. Only the foundation of the projection booth/concession stand remained. And that was removed by 2016.
The concession stand/projection booth still stands, albeit just the walls with no roof.
You can still see some of the ramps and the screen foundation. Based on aerial photos when it was operating, this was a small drive-in that may have held 100 vehicles.
The drive-in was intact in a 1982 aerial, but was completely demolished by 1994.
A May 2014 Google Street View shows a couple of short brick structures where the entrance once stood. Plus, it appears that a few pieces of the screen foundation may still be in place.
Otherwise, you’d never know a drive-in once stood on the property. It is now farmland.
A closer address is 323 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL which is the address of Harbor Freight Tools that currently sits on the property.
The drive-in had been demolished by 1984, but the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit road was still present.
Google Maps has updated their addresses. This puts it right on the property.
A 1954 aerial shows the drive-in present and almost completely surrounded by a fence. By 1966, the screen was rebuilt as a widescreen and all of the fence had been removed. Difficult to say if the drive-in was still operational at that time.
The drive-in remained intact in 1982, but was demolished save for the screen by 1994.
The screen was still present in a July 2018 Google Street View, but by October 2021 it was gone.
A closer address is 1620 Wheeling Ave, Glen Dale, WV.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property.
The current overhead from Google Maps shows the screen intact, but the rest of the property was bulldozed around 2018 with no trace of the projection booth/concession stand or even the ramps remaining.
The pool is hiding in plain site. It sits right next to the road. The pool was filled in sometime between 2012 and 2018. If you go to Google Street View and go back to 2012, you’ll see the pool intact and active.
A closer address is 11480 Crosby Road, Morrison, IL.
Google Maps has updated their addresses. This one puts it right on the property.
A 2018 Google Street View shows some additions to the property. The entrance road next to the marquee has been resurfaced and buildings are now on the back part of the property.
If the Pines was at 2709 South Street, it didn’t last all that long.
A 1955 aerial shows the drive-in intact and operational. What’s interesting is that the screen does not sit parallel to the road, but rather at an angle that causes it to face more to the southeast.
By 1976, it was not only demolished, but a few large trees have grown where the screen once stood.
Trees take time to get to be that size, so I believe the drive-in probably closed at least a decade earlier. However, the rest of the property was well kept.
Today, a couple of businesses sit on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
A closer address is 13380 SW Morrow Rd, Rushville, MO.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property. It appears that Winthrop was either never or no longer incorporated which is why Rushville is used.
The drive-in was still intact in a 1991 aerial. By 1997, the projection booth/concession stand was gone.
The screen was still present in 2003, but gone by 2006.
Today, only faint parch marks of the ramps and outline remain.
Most of the area where the drive-in sat is occupied by a large parking lot. The building is now “The Print Source”, but it was probably something else when first constructed right after the drive-in closed.
As of August 2022, the screen appears to be standing. Although it is in poor shape.
I’d be interested to know how the boat traffic was going to reach the drive-in. The drive-in is a good half-mile from the shoreline. There is a creek that runs from the lake near the drive-in, but it is quite small and doesn’t appear deep or wide enough to handle even small boats.
Perhaps there was a hotel next to the drive-in that was close enough for foot traffic from boaters who didn’t want to detach their trailers and could walk instead?
As late as 1981 the remnants of the drive-in were still visible, including the outline, ramps, and foundations of the projection booth/concession stand and screen.
Today, a Motel 6 sits on part of the property with the rest being undeveloped. But there is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
In comparing the 1957 aerial to the 1966 aerial, it’s apparent that the projection booth doubled in size. Whether this was extending the roof to cover the area in front of the projector or it was a structure with walls I cannot say.
But when you consider that it would take five rows of twenty seats to hold 100 people. And then add the room needed to hold the projectors, other equipment, and apparently a snack bar if they gave away coffee and candy, this structure just isn’t close to being big enough.
When given the choice to believe the press reports or my eyes, I’m going to go with my eyes every time. So, either the 104-seat theater was torn down before 1966, it was not located on the drive-in property, or (most likely) the 104 seating capacity was exaggerated by at least half.
The drive-in was still intact in 1982. By 1994, it had been completely demolished.
Today, it is an open field with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
The address is the same, but the drive-in sat where the Kroger grocery store is now located.
A 1964 aerial shows the drive-in intact. Today, the only remaining remnant is the projection booth/concession stand.
A 1970 aerial shows a small projection booth. By 1983, the booth had expanded considerably and possibly contained a concession stand. By 2002, the screen had been removed.
Today, the projection booth/concession stand is still present and seems to have been expanded. You can still see the ramps, outline, and the ticket booth appears to be standing as well.
A 1982 aerial shows the drive-in intact. Whether it was open or not I do not know.
Perhaps I’m missing some of the history, but a 1970 aerial shows the drive-in completely demolished. Only the outline and ramps from the SW drive-in are visible.
By 1984, the drive-in had been rebuilt along with the indoor cinema.
Today, it’s all been demolished. The field is empty save for the outline of the drive-in, the ramps, and parts of the entrance roads which were made of concrete. The building that stood on the site was completely removed. Not even the foundation is visible.
A closer address is US-69 & OK-51, Wagoner, OK.
A grand opening poster in the photo section indicates the location of the drive-in was at the intersection. That makes sense given the large amount of traffic, particularly on HWY 69.
The exact location remains in doubt. A 1973 aerial shows no remnants of a drive-in nearby. A guess is that the property might have become the home of the Wagoner Hospital, which was fairly new in 1973 at least at that location.
https://tinyurl.com/2tn7ff2b
By 1993, the drive-in had been demolished. Only the outline, ramps, and foundation for the projection booth/concession stand remained.
By 2004, the property had been resurfaced removing almost all the remaining traces of the drive-in. Only the foundation of the projection booth/concession stand remained. And that was removed by 2016.
The concession stand/projection booth still stands, albeit just the walls with no roof.
You can still see some of the ramps and the screen foundation. Based on aerial photos when it was operating, this was a small drive-in that may have held 100 vehicles.
The drive-in was intact in a 1982 aerial, but was completely demolished by 1994.
A May 2014 Google Street View shows a couple of short brick structures where the entrance once stood. Plus, it appears that a few pieces of the screen foundation may still be in place.
Otherwise, you’d never know a drive-in once stood on the property. It is now farmland.
A closer address is 323 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL which is the address of Harbor Freight Tools that currently sits on the property.
The drive-in had been demolished by 1984, but the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit road was still present.
https://tinyurl.com/mv96cpsb
The August 2022 Google Street View shows the projection booth/concession stand is now gone.
It appears from the sign that the property may be used as an auction site or perhaps a farm equipment business. Not sure.
A closer address is 6552 River Rd, Wheeling, WV.
Google Maps has updated their addresses. This puts it right on the property.
A 1954 aerial shows the drive-in present and almost completely surrounded by a fence. By 1966, the screen was rebuilt as a widescreen and all of the fence had been removed. Difficult to say if the drive-in was still operational at that time.
The drive-in remained intact in 1982, but was demolished save for the screen by 1994.
The screen was still present in a July 2018 Google Street View, but by October 2021 it was gone.
https://tinyurl.com/4crea3sv
A closer address is 1620 Wheeling Ave, Glen Dale, WV.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property.
The current overhead from Google Maps shows the screen intact, but the rest of the property was bulldozed around 2018 with no trace of the projection booth/concession stand or even the ramps remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/2reyufr5
The pool is hiding in plain site. It sits right next to the road. The pool was filled in sometime between 2012 and 2018. If you go to Google Street View and go back to 2012, you’ll see the pool intact and active.
A closer address is 11480 Crosby Road, Morrison, IL.
Google Maps has updated their addresses. This one puts it right on the property.
A 2018 Google Street View shows some additions to the property. The entrance road next to the marquee has been resurfaced and buildings are now on the back part of the property.
https://tinyurl.com/295jcs6u
I’m not seeing the sign indicated in the description going back to 2008 Google Street View.
Where was the sign located?
If the Pines was at 2709 South Street, it didn’t last all that long.
A 1955 aerial shows the drive-in intact and operational. What’s interesting is that the screen does not sit parallel to the road, but rather at an angle that causes it to face more to the southeast.
By 1976, it was not only demolished, but a few large trees have grown where the screen once stood.
Trees take time to get to be that size, so I believe the drive-in probably closed at least a decade earlier. However, the rest of the property was well kept.
Today, a couple of businesses sit on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
A closer address is 13380 SW Morrow Rd, Rushville, MO.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property. It appears that Winthrop was either never or no longer incorporated which is why Rushville is used.
The drive-in was still intact in a 1991 aerial. By 1997, the projection booth/concession stand was gone. The screen was still present in 2003, but gone by 2006.
Today, only faint parch marks of the ramps and outline remain.
https://tinyurl.com/mrx7e8pm
Most of the area where the drive-in sat is occupied by a large parking lot. The building is now “The Print Source”, but it was probably something else when first constructed right after the drive-in closed.
There is no trace of the drive-in today.
A closer address is 2796 N Hillside Ave, Wichita, KS.
That is close to where the entrance road once existed. Today, the entire property has been landscaped with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/2kfw2f76