This is a cropped version of a 1984 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1983 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1986 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1988 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Sept. 7, 1957: “Wymore, Neb. - Business at the Grand Theatre did not justify repairing and operating the air conditioning equipment, Mike Moran, owner reported, and he has closed the house.”
Independent Film Journal, July 11, 1953: “Mgr. James McDonald of Theatre Owners Corp. reports the addition of Mullens Drive-In at Hearndon, (sic) W. Va., owned by D. C. Miller, to their buying and booking service.”
Thanks for the note, CTCrouch. You can read Inland Valley Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen’s affectionate look back at the Mission Tiki’s final days here.
Oh, and the location of the Fort Tepee was just south of O Neil Road from the Clearwater Lake Seventh Day Adventist Church, which is still there. The church’s address is 3770 O Neil Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521.
A small drive-in appeared there on a 1972 topo map but not in a 1966 aerial photo, more clues to the opening date. The map indicated a screen at the northwest corner, but I don’t see it in 1966, 1980, or 1981 aerials of the site.
The Eagle River post office delivers its mail, but the church and the drive-in site are clearly part of the unincorporated area known as Clearwater Lake.
The Motion Picture Almanac’s first listing for the Fort Tepee Outdoor, located at Clearwater Lake, was when the MPA refreshed its drive-in list for its 1977 edition after a decade of relative inattention. The Fort Tepee’s capacity was list as 100, its owner as J. P. Cozzuol.
The only other hint I could find was in the July 12, 1976 issue of Boxoffice: “The Towne Theatre in New Holstein presented its last show recently and is now for sale. Operator Joe Cozzuolo (sic?), however, has another unit, the Fort Tepee Outdoor at Clearwater Lake in Vilas County, which we understand is doing very well” (Another Boxoffice note in August 1976 on the Towne’s closure spelled the owner’s name Cuzzuol.)
The Fort Tepee’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was the 1984 edition, suggesting an earlier closure.
The 1950-51 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac included the Lake Road Drive-In, owner L. J. Ludwig. In the 1952-53 edition, that changed to the Sunset Drive-In, owner Lake Road Thea. Co.
The MPA changed the listing to the Park Theataire, owner Burr Cline, for the 1960-64 editions, then nudged it to Park Theatre in 1965. For the 1977 edition, the MPA changed the Park Drive-In’s owner (back?) to Ludwig. It stayed that way through 1982, then became Marty’s Sky-Vue III, owner L. Martinson, in the 1983-88 Motion Picture Almanacs.
This is a lightly cropped version of a 1987 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1980 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
I’d love to know the source and year for this photo. The mural that was so carefully painted for the Trail’s grand opening is long gone. A short message/title board above the interior door would stay there for years - its effect in sheltering the original background paint from the sun is clearly visible in John Margolies' 1977 photo.
This is a cropped version of a 1984 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1983 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1986 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1988 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Sept. 7, 1957: “Wymore, Neb. - Business at the Grand Theatre did not justify repairing and operating the air conditioning equipment, Mike Moran, owner reported, and he has closed the house.”
Here’s a link to the original, which is effectively in the public domain.
More specifically, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress and effectively in the public domain.
1991 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress and effectively in the public domain.
1984 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and effectively in the public domain.
1982 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and effectively in the public domain.
Independent Film Journal, July 11, 1953: “Mgr. James McDonald of Theatre Owners Corp. reports the addition of Mullens Drive-In at Hearndon, (sic) W. Va., owned by D. C. Miller, to their buying and booking service.”
Link rot again: As I type, you can find issue of Boxoffice on Yumpu.
Thanks for the note, CTCrouch. You can read Inland Valley Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen’s affectionate look back at the Mission Tiki’s final days here.
Oh, and the location of the Fort Tepee was just south of O Neil Road from the Clearwater Lake Seventh Day Adventist Church, which is still there. The church’s address is 3770 O Neil Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521.
A small drive-in appeared there on a 1972 topo map but not in a 1966 aerial photo, more clues to the opening date. The map indicated a screen at the northwest corner, but I don’t see it in 1966, 1980, or 1981 aerials of the site.
The Eagle River post office delivers its mail, but the church and the drive-in site are clearly part of the unincorporated area known as Clearwater Lake.
The Motion Picture Almanac’s first listing for the Fort Tepee Outdoor, located at Clearwater Lake, was when the MPA refreshed its drive-in list for its 1977 edition after a decade of relative inattention. The Fort Tepee’s capacity was list as 100, its owner as J. P. Cozzuol.
The only other hint I could find was in the July 12, 1976 issue of Boxoffice: “The Towne Theatre in New Holstein presented its last show recently and is now for sale. Operator Joe Cozzuolo (sic?), however, has another unit, the Fort Tepee Outdoor at Clearwater Lake in Vilas County, which we understand is doing very well” (Another Boxoffice note in August 1976 on the Towne’s closure spelled the owner’s name Cuzzuol.)
The Fort Tepee’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was the 1984 edition, suggesting an earlier closure.
Lightly cropped version of a 1984 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is in the public domain.
Lightly cropped version of a 1984 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is in the public domain.
The original is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
Cropped and light altered version of a 1980 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1987 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is in the public domain.
This is a lightly cropped version of a 1987 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is in the public domain.
The 1950-51 edition of the Motion Picture Almanac included the Lake Road Drive-In, owner L. J. Ludwig. In the 1952-53 edition, that changed to the Sunset Drive-In, owner Lake Road Thea. Co.
The MPA changed the listing to the Park Theataire, owner Burr Cline, for the 1960-64 editions, then nudged it to Park Theatre in 1965. For the 1977 edition, the MPA changed the Park Drive-In’s owner (back?) to Ludwig. It stayed that way through 1982, then became Marty’s Sky-Vue III, owner L. Martinson, in the 1983-88 Motion Picture Almanacs.
This is a lightly cropped version of a 1987 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1980 photo by John Margolies, part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. The original is effectively in the public domain.
I’d love to know the source and year for this photo. The mural that was so carefully painted for the Trail’s grand opening is long gone. A short message/title board above the interior door would stay there for years - its effect in sheltering the original background paint from the sun is clearly visible in John Margolies' 1977 photo.