The name of the road near the bridge is Burchfield Road, therefore it is very likely that the name of the drive-in would have been the Burchfield Drive-In, and not Birchfield. A historical newspaper ad would clear that up, if anyone can dig one up from 1950-54.
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in, which is now occupied by a retail shopping plaza anchored by Food City, Advance Auto Parts, and Ace Hardware.
Correction: The 4-Lane Drive-In and MarBro Drive-In both occupied the same site. The 4-Lane Drive-In was demolished around 1963 or 1964, and completely rebuilt to reopen as the MarBro Drive-In on June 6, 1966.
The address referred to by JWMovies is incorrect. That was the correct location for the Starlite Drive-In, also in Murfreesboro.
The 4-Lane Drive-In operated from 1954-1963, and was located on Old Nashville Highway at Van Cleave Lane. It was demolished after the 1963 season due to the construction of the new Nashville Highway, which split the 4-Lane in half.
The 4-Lane was replaced by the MarBro Drive-In, located ½ further north on Van Cleave Lane at Battlefield Parkway, which opened June 06, 1966. Marbro is a shortened version of Martin Brothers, since the drive-in was owned by the Martin Theatre Circuit.
The Starlite Drive-In closed around 1967, soon after the opening of the newer MarBro Drive-In.
Russellville Rd, .25 mile west of Allen Rd Franklin, KY 42134
The above address will map to the correct location of the drive-in, which is on the north side of Russllville Rd, and is clearly visible on Google Earth using historical imagery.
The above address will map correctly to the location of the drive-in, which was on the north side of US 127 at the intersection of Poplar St. The site is currently used for a retail shopping plaza.
My apologies, the above map is correct. I had my USGS map off by 90 degrees when I was situating the drive-in. One of the headaches with Earth Explorer is that the maps do not always download with north facing up, causing some confusion with my original placement of the drive-in. The aerial photo from 1959 which I uploaded is now correctly oriented, and consistent with the Google Earth aerial photo above. Sorry for the misinterpretation of the photos, caught it right after I posted the first comment.
This photo is incorrect and should be removed. Aerial photos from 1951 and 1959 clearly indicate was not on this location, but on the south side of Trail 166. I will upload the correct aerial from 1959, which is the clearest of the two which are available on USGS Earth Explorer.
Back in 2005, another commenter mentioned a second Mt. Healthy Drive-In, “The other Mt Healthy Drive-In was located at 6 Monroe Drive.”
To the best of my knowledge, there is no Monroe Drive in Mt. Healthy. Maybe there was 50 years ago, but that doesn’t help us much now. Does anyone have any information on this other drive-in? Approximately what decade did it operate, approximately when did it close? What part of town was it in?
@Mike Rivest: That ad could have been for the opening of the 1963 season, and not their first season. Drive-ins would frequently have Grand Opening ads every season when they reopened in the spring.
@Alonzo: Thanks for posting those pics! What a great piece of drive-in history! Love the shot of the neon lit up on the back of the screen tower, from the days when the back of screens were a work of art!
I counted five seperate drive-in locations along a 1.5 miles section of Fort Bragg Blvd, between Fort Bragg and Fayettville.
jwmovies gave the Starlite DI and the Skyway DI the same address.
Drive-In entrance was off W College St, near Henslee Dr.
Dan,
Can you tell us what street the drive-in used to be on, and what’s on the property now?
The name of the road near the bridge is Burchfield Road, therefore it is very likely that the name of the drive-in would have been the Burchfield Drive-In, and not Birchfield. A historical newspaper ad would clear that up, if anyone can dig one up from 1950-54.
5078 Clinton Hwy
Knoxville, TN 37912
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in, which is now occupied by a retail shopping plaza anchored by Food City, Advance Auto Parts, and Ace Hardware.
6777 Clinton Hwy
Knoxville, TN 37912
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in, which is now the site of the Northwest Crossing Walmart Supercenter.
Correction: The 4-Lane Drive-In and MarBro Drive-In both occupied the same site. The 4-Lane Drive-In was demolished around 1963 or 1964, and completely rebuilt to reopen as the MarBro Drive-In on June 6, 1966.
The address referred to by JWMovies is incorrect. That was the correct location for the Starlite Drive-In, also in Murfreesboro.
The 4-Lane Drive-In operated from 1954-1963, and was located on Old Nashville Highway at Van Cleave Lane. It was demolished after the 1963 season due to the construction of the new Nashville Highway, which split the 4-Lane in half.
The 4-Lane was replaced by the MarBro Drive-In, located ½ further north on Van Cleave Lane at Battlefield Parkway, which opened June 06, 1966. Marbro is a shortened version of Martin Brothers, since the drive-in was owned by the Martin Theatre Circuit.
The Starlite Drive-In closed around 1967, soon after the opening of the newer MarBro Drive-In.
3765 E Andrew Johnson Hwy
Morristown, TN 37814
King Ridge Apartments now occupies the site of the former drive-in.
Kentucky 109, .25 mile south of Henry Dr
Clay, KY 42404
The above address will map correctly to the location of the drive-in, which was on the east side of Kentucky 109, south of Clay.
This drive-in was operational in 2014. Should be listed as an open theatre.
Russellville Rd, .25 mile west of Allen Rd
Franklin, KY 42134
The above address will map to the correct location of the drive-in, which is on the north side of Russllville Rd, and is clearly visible on Google Earth using historical imagery.
US 127 at Poplar St Albany, KY 42602
The above address will map correctly to the location of the drive-in, which was on the north side of US 127 at the intersection of Poplar St. The site is currently used for a retail shopping plaza.
Correct address is: 8488 Kentucky 1428
Allen, KY 41601
Drive-in was on the west side of Kentucky 1428, about 1/5 mile south of Griffith Dr. Porter Steel Fabrication now occupied the site.
My apologies, the above map is correct. I had my USGS map off by 90 degrees when I was situating the drive-in. One of the headaches with Earth Explorer is that the maps do not always download with north facing up, causing some confusion with my original placement of the drive-in. The aerial photo from 1959 which I uploaded is now correctly oriented, and consistent with the Google Earth aerial photo above. Sorry for the misinterpretation of the photos, caught it right after I posted the first comment.
This photo is incorrect and should be removed. Aerial photos from 1951 and 1959 clearly indicate was not on this location, but on the south side of Trail 166. I will upload the correct aerial from 1959, which is the clearest of the two which are available on USGS Earth Explorer.
Back in 2005, another commenter mentioned a second Mt. Healthy Drive-In, “The other Mt Healthy Drive-In was located at 6 Monroe Drive.”
To the best of my knowledge, there is no Monroe Drive in Mt. Healthy. Maybe there was 50 years ago, but that doesn’t help us much now. Does anyone have any information on this other drive-in? Approximately what decade did it operate, approximately when did it close? What part of town was it in?
HistoricAerials.com shows the drive-in open at that location as early as 1955.
@Mike Rivest: That ad could have been for the opening of the 1963 season, and not their first season. Drive-ins would frequently have Grand Opening ads every season when they reopened in the spring.
Any outdoor screen over 100 feet wide would almost have to be scope.
@Alonzo: Thanks for posting those pics! What a great piece of drive-in history! Love the shot of the neon lit up on the back of the screen tower, from the days when the back of screens were a work of art!
Al, I believe the intention is to help people understand where the drive-in once used to be, using the best possible current address information.
U.S. 11 & Brittani Cir, Buchanan, VA 24066
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in.
Here is a 1960 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
Old Nottoway Rd & The Grove Rd, Blackstone, VA 23824
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in, which is visible on Goggle Earth using present day imagery.