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.
Boxoffice magazine ran artist’s renderings of the Navy Point’s exterior and auditorium in its Nov. 9, 1946 issue. The caption: “…the principal recreation center of a new residential and shopping distric for officers and personnel of the huge naval training base at Navy Point. The new theatre was opened about mid-year.”
More Boxoffice notes…
Oct. 30, 1961: “The Lyceum Theatre Corp., headed by J. G. Broggi, has taken over operation of the Navy Point Theatre in Warrington, Fla. Broggi handled the buying and booking for the theatre for many years.”
June 11, 1962: “The Navy Point, Warrington, Fla., is closed indefinitely. For the past several years it was operated by the late J. G. Broggi.”
July 9, 1962: “Gulf States has acquired the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla., from the estate of the late J. G. Broggi”
July 29, 1963: “Shows at the Navy Point in Warrington, Fla., have been reduced to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays”
Jan. 13, 1964: “Gulf States Theatres closed the Navy Point Theatre in Warrington, Fla. indefinitely effective January 1.”
Feb. 24, 1964: “Clinton Vucovich, former Florida exhibitor, is back in the theatre business after an absence of some ten years. Recently, he acquired the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla. Ed Ortte of the Sands and Gulf theatres in Gulfport, Miss., will do the buying and booking. Vucovich and Ortte formerly operated theatres in Pensacola, including the Skychief, Pen and Belmont”
Aug. 16, 1966: “Young Mike Kimberl, at 15, probably ranks as the state’s youngest official theatre manager, a position he has held since April. He got his start in the theatre business with thtree years behind the concession stand of the Navy Point Theatre here. In April, when new owners Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Rushing took over the house, Kimberl asked to stay on as manager.” (The original story, with photo, was in the July 31 Pensacola News Journal.)
July 13, 1970: “D. L. Rushing announced he had closed the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla. as of June 27”
There’s a second “version” of this 1979 photo, also in the public domain. I put version in quotes because I can’t find any differences between the two.
This is a cropped version of a 1977 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
The last ad I could find for the North 29 in the Charlotte Observer was on Jan. 2, 1973, for the double feature of “Shantytown Honeymoon” and “City Slicker at the Opry”.
At the time, the North 29 was advertising in a block with the Queen, the Albemarle Road, and the South 29. On Jan. 3, those three appeared in the Observer without the North 29.
WBOC reported yesterday that local artist Rod Pond, better known as RCP, has taken down the old Shore marquee and plans to restore it. The article said that the Shore opened in 1954 and closed in 1976, but they might have found those dates here on CT.
NorthCentralPA.com reported yesterday that, although the Point owner David Renn had previously said 2022 was its last year, the drive-in will be reopening for the 2023 season. The landowner’s plan to build a solar farm on the site has been delayed, at least, though Renn said he won’t sell 2023 season passes. Visit while you can, I guess!
If you really want to nail down the exact date of a HistoricAerials photo, you can often find the original photo at https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/, which will include that date. But Historic Aerials is sooo much more convenient!
Just saying, I’ve documented drive-ins that were built in six weeks. That required good weather and an experienced builder. Most early-1950s drive-ins builders didn’t have much experience, so in a word, yaneverknow.
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.
Boxoffice magazine ran artist’s renderings of the Navy Point’s exterior and auditorium in its Nov. 9, 1946 issue. The caption: “…the principal recreation center of a new residential and shopping distric for officers and personnel of the huge naval training base at Navy Point. The new theatre was opened about mid-year.”
More Boxoffice notes…
Oct. 30, 1961: “The Lyceum Theatre Corp., headed by J. G. Broggi, has taken over operation of the Navy Point Theatre in Warrington, Fla. Broggi handled the buying and booking for the theatre for many years.”
June 11, 1962: “The Navy Point, Warrington, Fla., is closed indefinitely. For the past several years it was operated by the late J. G. Broggi.”
July 9, 1962: “Gulf States has acquired the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla., from the estate of the late J. G. Broggi”
July 29, 1963: “Shows at the Navy Point in Warrington, Fla., have been reduced to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays”
Jan. 13, 1964: “Gulf States Theatres closed the Navy Point Theatre in Warrington, Fla. indefinitely effective January 1.”
Feb. 24, 1964: “Clinton Vucovich, former Florida exhibitor, is back in the theatre business after an absence of some ten years. Recently, he acquired the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla. Ed Ortte of the Sands and Gulf theatres in Gulfport, Miss., will do the buying and booking. Vucovich and Ortte formerly operated theatres in Pensacola, including the Skychief, Pen and Belmont”
Aug. 16, 1966: “Young Mike Kimberl, at 15, probably ranks as the state’s youngest official theatre manager, a position he has held since April. He got his start in the theatre business with thtree years behind the concession stand of the Navy Point Theatre here. In April, when new owners Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Rushing took over the house, Kimberl asked to stay on as manager.” (The original story, with photo, was in the July 31 Pensacola News Journal.)
July 13, 1970: “D. L. Rushing announced he had closed the Navy Point Theatre at Warrington, Fla. as of June 27”
This 1987 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
The LoC also hosts a second version of this photo from a slightly different angle. It’s also in the public domain.
This 1987 photo byJohn Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1977 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
There’s a second “version” of this 1979 photo, also in the public domain. I put version in quotes because I can’t find any differences between the two.
This 1979 photo is effectively in the public domain. You can download other resolutions here.
This 1979 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1979 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This is a cropped version of a 1977 photo by John Margolies which is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1979 photo by John Margolies is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1984 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1979 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively 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 at the Library of Congress. It’s effectively in the public domain.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress. As the original contributor indicated, it’s in the public domain.
That 1979 photo by John Margolies is part of the Library of Congress’s John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive, and is effectively in the public domain.
The last ad I could find for the North 29 in the Charlotte Observer was on Jan. 2, 1973, for the double feature of “Shantytown Honeymoon” and “City Slicker at the Opry”.
At the time, the North 29 was advertising in a block with the Queen, the Albemarle Road, and the South 29. On Jan. 3, those three appeared in the Observer without the North 29.
WBOC reported yesterday that local artist Rod Pond, better known as RCP, has taken down the old Shore marquee and plans to restore it. The article said that the Shore opened in 1954 and closed in 1976, but they might have found those dates here on CT.
NorthCentralPA.com reported yesterday that, although the Point owner David Renn had previously said 2022 was its last year, the drive-in will be reopening for the 2023 season. The landowner’s plan to build a solar farm on the site has been delayed, at least, though Renn said he won’t sell 2023 season passes. Visit while you can, I guess!
If you really want to nail down the exact date of a HistoricAerials photo, you can often find the original photo at https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/, which will include that date. But Historic Aerials is sooo much more convenient!
Just saying, I’ve documented drive-ins that were built in six weeks. That required good weather and an experienced builder. Most early-1950s drive-ins builders didn’t have much experience, so in a word, yaneverknow.