The address is problematic because of several large trees on the southern half of the property in the 1955 aerial. It would take a good decade or more for trees to grow that size, which would rule it out as being a possible location for the drive-in.
Admittedly, my search of the 1955 aerial doesn’t find anything resembling a drive-in either in or near the town that I could find. If the drive-in was still standing in 1961 as the description states, then more information is needed to locate it.
NETR Online has put up a 1947 aerial, which makes it 2 years before the drive-in opened. Obviously to compliment their 1951 aerial which is two years after the drive-in closed.
After a thorough comparison, it was no help at all. Very little changed in the area in which the drive-in should be located.
The fact that it is called the West Park Drive-In and West Park Avenue is one mile due west of the fairgrounds would seemingly provide a clue, but I’ve found nothing. There was no real development along that road save for a lone house.
Almost four years since my last post and I’m no closer to its real location. All I can say is that it is not on 3rd SW Avenue or West Park Avenue.
The South Irving Bridge crosses Station Camp Creek, not the Kentucky River. The address is too far north.
Plus, a 1950 aerial shows an open, undeveloped field at the 98 Richmond Road address.
Further south next to the South Irving Bridge shows what appears to be a couple of small buildings, but nothing that indicated a drive-in sat in that location.
Now, this could have been a temporary drive-in with all the structures removed after the 1948 season. Given that the property appears to be a fairgrounds, that’s a possibility.
The address is 3009 E Nettleton Ave, Jonesboro, AR.
A 1957 aerial shows the drive-in intact, but looking closed. It had a long entrance & exit road that connected to E Nettleton Avenue.
Today, the entire property has radically changed. Most of where the drive-in once sat is now a housing edition. The area around the entrance/exit roads is now a strip mall.
In looking at the 1951 aerial, the property behind the screen which may seem like ramps at first has the same characteristics to the east of the property as well.
In other words, this looks like the natural contours of the ground and not something that was created. Or it could be the result of plowing to plant crops. I’m not seeing any indication of construction, especially since the 1951 aerial was taken a year or less after the drive-in opened.
By 1985, the drive-in was completely razed with no trace remaining.
A 1982 aerial reveals the drive-in to be demolished, but the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit roads intact.
The following year, the entire property was razed and removed all traces of the drive-in. With Prairie Farms Dairy occupying the western half, while the eastern half of the property remains undeveloped.
It should be noted, though I’m not suggesting a change, that the entrance road to the drive-in was on Hopkinsville Road or South Main Street.
The current entrance to the property was (in part) the exit road to the drive-in.
The screen foundation is still present. And while there is a building of the same general size, it is not the projection booth as that was gone by 1995.
This puts it right in the center of the property. Murray HWY was originally US-641, but that designation was changed with the larger, four-lane interstate was built sometime in the 1970s, long after the drive-in closed.
A 1959 aerial shows the drive-in intact and operation. By 1968 it had been demolished.
Today, it is a private residence with no trace of the drive-in remaining save arguably for the entrance road which is now a driveway.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the projection booth/concession stand.
As of a October 2023 Google Street View, the screen is gone, the projection booth/concession stand roof is looking ratty, and the marquee is still present.
A 1961 aerial shows the drive-in intact and apparently operational. By 1965, it had been demolished with only the projection booth intact. Given the number of vehicles on the property at the time, it appears to be an auto salvage yard.
By 1982, the property was empty save for the remains of the projection booth. By 1998, it was becoming overgrown with trees and no sign of the projection booth.
An auto body shop currently sits on the property. However, the outline, ramps, projection booth, and ticket booth are still intact.
While it is a standard ticket booth, it does have an unusual wall that is connected on the booth’s SW side. At first glance, it appears to be the remnants of a larger building or structure that was present on the property before the drive-in was constructed.
Because a 1964 aerial shows the same wall in place in basically the same condition as it is today. Given the wall’s height and shape, it doesn’t seem like it was deliberately constructed just to support one side of the ticket booth.
But it also does not seem like the wall of a house. It would be interesting to know the story behind that wall.
By 1994, the drive-in was demolished. The property remained undeveloped for some time. However, by 2004 the property was developed and today Lucky’s Casino is present with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
This puts it right on the property. A July 2024 Google Street View shows the property in the same condition it has been for several years. A screen in need of repair, no marquee, but the projection booth/concession stand is still around.
Although most of the property is still undeveloped, the only real sign that the drive-in once existed is a few feet of the entrance road. Several boulders are in place to prevent anyone from driving on to the property.
Apart from the outline, the only thing that remains is part of the entrance road which the used car dealership uses as its entrance. You can still see the concrete road cut across the car lot. Also, the exit road on the south side of the property is still somewhat intact.
Although the property itself on Google Maps carries the address of 105 Henry Street, the entrance road to the drive-in connected to Church Street or HWY 14 next to where Big Daddy’s bar currently sits.
A 1976 aerial shows the drive-in intact and in good condition, but given the trail to the projection booth it may have been closed as indicated in the description.
Today, the entire property is overgrown with no trace of the drive-in itself being visible. However, the entrance/exit roads are still present.
A 1955 aerial shows the drive-in at that location. By 1960, it had been demolished. Looks like the property was used for trailer storage until it was developed sometime between 1999 and 2006.
Today, Crossroads Ford of Sanford is on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
By 1982, the drive-in had been completely demolished.
Today, there are no traces visible anymore.
A closer address is 8094 IN-13, Syracuse, IN.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property.
It was still intact in 1986, but not sure if it was still operational. The drive-in had been demolished by 1998.
Today, Tranter Graphics sits on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/3apxubcd
A August 2024 Google Street View shows the entire property has been razed and a new building constructed. There is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
A closer address is 1683 U.S. Hwy 40, Vernal, UT.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right next to the entrance road on the same side of the highway.
The property is now empty and spotted with trees.
https://tinyurl.com/mw5wtmem
The address is problematic because of several large trees on the southern half of the property in the 1955 aerial. It would take a good decade or more for trees to grow that size, which would rule it out as being a possible location for the drive-in.
Admittedly, my search of the 1955 aerial doesn’t find anything resembling a drive-in either in or near the town that I could find. If the drive-in was still standing in 1961 as the description states, then more information is needed to locate it.
A closer address is 1036 US-69, Frontenac, KS.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right in the middle of the property.
The drive-in was still intact in 1991, although it was clearly closed for some time. By 2006, it had been completely demolished.
https://tinyurl.com/28ucrcwk
NETR Online has put up a 1947 aerial, which makes it 2 years before the drive-in opened. Obviously to compliment their 1951 aerial which is two years after the drive-in closed.
After a thorough comparison, it was no help at all. Very little changed in the area in which the drive-in should be located.
The fact that it is called the West Park Drive-In and West Park Avenue is one mile due west of the fairgrounds would seemingly provide a clue, but I’ve found nothing. There was no real development along that road save for a lone house.
Almost four years since my last post and I’m no closer to its real location. All I can say is that it is not on 3rd SW Avenue or West Park Avenue.
The South Irving Bridge crosses Station Camp Creek, not the Kentucky River. The address is too far north.
Plus, a 1950 aerial shows an open, undeveloped field at the 98 Richmond Road address.
Further south next to the South Irving Bridge shows what appears to be a couple of small buildings, but nothing that indicated a drive-in sat in that location.
Now, this could have been a temporary drive-in with all the structures removed after the 1948 season. Given that the property appears to be a fairgrounds, that’s a possibility.
Found It!
The address is 3009 E Nettleton Ave, Jonesboro, AR.
A 1957 aerial shows the drive-in intact, but looking closed. It had a long entrance & exit road that connected to E Nettleton Avenue.
Today, the entire property has radically changed. Most of where the drive-in once sat is now a housing edition. The area around the entrance/exit roads is now a strip mall.
There is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/mm2y5bps
In looking at the 1951 aerial, the property behind the screen which may seem like ramps at first has the same characteristics to the east of the property as well.
In other words, this looks like the natural contours of the ground and not something that was created. Or it could be the result of plowing to plant crops. I’m not seeing any indication of construction, especially since the 1951 aerial was taken a year or less after the drive-in opened.
By 1985, the drive-in was completely razed with no trace remaining.
A 1982 aerial reveals the drive-in to be demolished, but the outline, ramps, and entrance/exit roads intact.
The following year, the entire property was razed and removed all traces of the drive-in. With Prairie Farms Dairy occupying the western half, while the eastern half of the property remains undeveloped.
It should be noted, though I’m not suggesting a change, that the entrance road to the drive-in was on Hopkinsville Road or South Main Street.
The current entrance to the property was (in part) the exit road to the drive-in.
B & B Concrete currently sits on the property. There is no trace of the drive-in remaining that I can confirm.
However, in the Google Maps overhead it may show the foundation of the screen. It’s in about the same location, but I cannot be positive.
The screen foundation is still present. And while there is a building of the same general size, it is not the projection booth as that was gone by 1995.
A closer address is 1998 Murray Hwy, Benton, KY.
This puts it right in the center of the property. Murray HWY was originally US-641, but that designation was changed with the larger, four-lane interstate was built sometime in the 1970s, long after the drive-in closed.
A 1959 aerial shows the drive-in intact and operation. By 1968 it had been demolished.
Today, it is a private residence with no trace of the drive-in remaining save arguably for the entrance road which is now a driveway.
https://tinyurl.com/yunftp83
A closer address is 1482 US-231, Beaver Dam, KY.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the projection booth/concession stand.
As of a October 2023 Google Street View, the screen is gone, the projection booth/concession stand roof is looking ratty, and the marquee is still present.
https://tinyurl.com/3rfzjtdp
A 1961 aerial shows the drive-in intact and apparently operational. By 1965, it had been demolished with only the projection booth intact. Given the number of vehicles on the property at the time, it appears to be an auto salvage yard.
By 1982, the property was empty save for the remains of the projection booth. By 1998, it was becoming overgrown with trees and no sign of the projection booth.
Whatever remnants of the drive-in remained are now long gone. The Renaissance Marquis, a retirement village, sits on most of what was the drive-in.
An auto body shop currently sits on the property. However, the outline, ramps, projection booth, and ticket booth are still intact.
While it is a standard ticket booth, it does have an unusual wall that is connected on the booth’s SW side. At first glance, it appears to be the remnants of a larger building or structure that was present on the property before the drive-in was constructed.
Because a 1964 aerial shows the same wall in place in basically the same condition as it is today. Given the wall’s height and shape, it doesn’t seem like it was deliberately constructed just to support one side of the ticket booth.
But it also does not seem like the wall of a house. It would be interesting to know the story behind that wall.
A closer address is 12120 US-190, Opelousas, LA.
By 1994, the drive-in was demolished. The property remained undeveloped for some time. However, by 2004 the property was developed and today Lucky’s Casino is present with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/3zbwwbh3
A closer address is 2R38+8M, Yerington, NV.
This puts it right on the property. A July 2024 Google Street View shows the property in the same condition it has been for several years. A screen in need of repair, no marquee, but the projection booth/concession stand is still around.
https://tinyurl.com/5aj5xufu
Although most of the property is still undeveloped, the only real sign that the drive-in once existed is a few feet of the entrance road. Several boulders are in place to prevent anyone from driving on to the property.
Apart from the outline, the only thing that remains is part of the entrance road which the used car dealership uses as its entrance. You can still see the concrete road cut across the car lot. Also, the exit road on the south side of the property is still somewhat intact.
The drive-in was intact and perhaps operational in a 1975 aerial. By 1983, it was demolished and the hotel was built on the grounds.
In addition to the general outline, the property retains the grass “island” that sits next to the road and behind the screen.
Found It!
The address is 915 Church St, Laurens, SC.
Although the property itself on Google Maps carries the address of 105 Henry Street, the entrance road to the drive-in connected to Church Street or HWY 14 next to where Big Daddy’s bar currently sits.
A 1976 aerial shows the drive-in intact and in good condition, but given the trail to the projection booth it may have been closed as indicated in the description.
Today, the entire property is overgrown with no trace of the drive-in itself being visible. However, the entrance/exit roads are still present.
https://tinyurl.com/bdfzks55
Found It!
The address is 3251 NC-87, Sanford, NC.
A 1955 aerial shows the drive-in at that location. By 1960, it had been demolished. Looks like the property was used for trailer storage until it was developed sometime between 1999 and 2006.
Today, Crossroads Ford of Sanford is on the property with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/yews9sjy