The Trail had a soft opening in the first week of July 1963, showing “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” on Friday the 5th, but had a “gala grand opening” on Wed., July 10. The movies that night were “Gypsy” and “It Happened at the World’s Fair.” Admission price for adults was 65 cents, but children 12 and under were free.
Note that the 1963 movie version of “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” starred Glenn Ford and Shirley Jones.
A Parade magazine slideshow listed the credit for this photo as just “Getty Images.” On one hand, Getty sometimes (accidentally?) claims public domain images, and unlike other slides in the deck, there was no primary source mentioned. On the other hand, I don’t want to mess with Getty Images.
JimRoss66 is correct to point out that the Mt. Vernon was never on Route 66. (One more reason to replace the misleading novelty matchbook cover as its front image, BTW.) According to the official 1948 California Division of Highways map, it was 1.3 miles south of US 66.
Then again, in my book “Drive-Ins of Route 66,” I include every drive-in within three miles of the Mother Road, (2.5 miles in the 1st edition), partly to avoid omitting ozoners that happened to be on the other side of small towns. So the Mt. Vernon is there, close enough. :)
Mr. Horton, I completely agree. I’m frankly annoyed at folks who don’t source their pictures and (perhaps accidentally) claim ownership through the Creative Commons license that’s chosen by default. That’s why I provide as much background and links as I can when I’m posting someone else’s photo, and I try to add that info when I find it on previously posted photos such as this one.
Now then, if you found this picture in 1990, can tell us where you found it? And if you’ve got any more notes about the Fair Park, you’ll be doing better than the Oklahoma Historical Society searchers I commissioned. Please write.
This photo by A. Y. Owen appeared in the May 7, 1947 issue of the Oklahoma Times. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that it’s copyright status is undetermined.
This photo was published somewhere on June 19, 1947. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, provided by the Oklahoma Historical Society to The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo is from the William B. Turk Collection in the Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection at The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This undated photo (no earlier than 1949 from the movie) is from the Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection at The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Although this photo might be from 1956, the Lariat really did reopen for the 1961 season on Thursday, April 26, according to the Vinita Daily Journal. So that’s my current guess.
Also, the property was sold as a “drive-in movie location” in May 2020. The asking price had been $225k. More details and a video at this Facebook page.
How many speakers did the Winfield have? The Motion Picture Almanac said 240. The Theatre Catalog said 325. But when it came time to pay taxes…
Arkansas City Daily Traveler, Jan. 22, 1958: “A suit asking reduction in assessment against the Winfield Drive-In theater has been filed in district court by Fred H. Munson, president of the theater company … The Winfield theater has 200 speakers. The petition sets out that other theaters owned by the company in Cowley county were assessed in 1957 the same as they were in 1956. They include the Ark-Vue theater with 400 speakers … and the 166 Drive-In with 350 speakers”
Weleetka American, July 18, 1957: “The Bar-K drive-in theater will open next Tuesday, July 23, it was announced this week by Mrs. Georgia Kelly, Henryette, owner of the new Weleetka business located just north of town on highway 75 … There will be parking space for 100 cars, each space with its car radio. There will also be a concession stand.”
Weleetka American, Aug. 8, 1957: “Mrs. George Kelley, owner of the Bar-K drive-in theatre, announced that the theatre is now officially open … Due to technical difficulties the theatre was unable to open as scheduled. The opening was delayed until Friday of last week (Aug. 2) while new sound equipment was installed. Since school will begin shortly the theatre will operate on a weekend basis only.”
This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This 1977 photo by John Margolies is part of the Library of Congress’s John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), and is effectively in the public domain.
TinEye.com points to 123rf.com selling this as a stock photo by Shannon Drawe, user name sdrawe. TinEye first noticed it on Nov. 8, 2009.
The Trail had a soft opening in the first week of July 1963, showing “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” on Friday the 5th, but had a “gala grand opening” on Wed., July 10. The movies that night were “Gypsy” and “It Happened at the World’s Fair.” Admission price for adults was 65 cents, but children 12 and under were free.
Note that the 1963 movie version of “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” starred Glenn Ford and Shirley Jones.
A Parade magazine slideshow listed the credit for this photo as just “Getty Images.” On one hand, Getty sometimes (accidentally?) claims public domain images, and unlike other slides in the deck, there was no primary source mentioned. On the other hand, I don’t want to mess with Getty Images.
JimRoss66 is correct to point out that the Mt. Vernon was never on Route 66. (One more reason to replace the misleading novelty matchbook cover as its front image, BTW.) According to the official 1948 California Division of Highways map, it was 1.3 miles south of US 66.
Then again, in my book “Drive-Ins of Route 66,” I include every drive-in within three miles of the Mother Road, (2.5 miles in the 1st edition), partly to avoid omitting ozoners that happened to be on the other side of small towns. So the Mt. Vernon is there, close enough. :)
I just checked Google Street View. As of March 2021, the sign frame was completely gone.
This is a cropped version of a photo in the Z.P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection of the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Mr. Horton, I completely agree. I’m frankly annoyed at folks who don’t source their pictures and (perhaps accidentally) claim ownership through the Creative Commons license that’s chosen by default. That’s why I provide as much background and links as I can when I’m posting someone else’s photo, and I try to add that info when I find it on previously posted photos such as this one.
Now then, if you found this picture in 1990, can tell us where you found it? And if you’ve got any more notes about the Fair Park, you’ll be doing better than the Oklahoma Historical Society searchers I commissioned. Please write.
This photo by A. Y. Owen appeared in the May 7, 1947 issue of the Oklahoma Times. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that it’s copyright status is undetermined.
This photo was published somewhere on June 19, 1947. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, provided by the Oklahoma Historical Society to The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo is from the William B. Turk Collection in the Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection at The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This undated photo (no earlier than 1949 from the movie) is from the Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection at The Gateway to Oklahoma History, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Although this photo might be from 1956, the Lariat really did reopen for the 1961 season on Thursday, April 26, according to the Vinita Daily Journal. So that’s my current guess.
Also, the property was sold as a “drive-in movie location” in May 2020. The asking price had been $225k. More details and a video at this Facebook page.
Looks like Joe Vogel nailed the opening year.
Boxoffice, June 20, 1953: “Bonifay, Ala. (sic) - Al’s New Drive-In opened here recently. It is owned by Al Saunders.”
How many speakers did the Winfield have? The Motion Picture Almanac said 240. The Theatre Catalog said 325. But when it came time to pay taxes…
Arkansas City Daily Traveler, Jan. 22, 1958: “A suit asking reduction in assessment against the Winfield Drive-In theater has been filed in district court by Fred H. Munson, president of the theater company … The Winfield theater has 200 speakers. The petition sets out that other theaters owned by the company in Cowley county were assessed in 1957 the same as they were in 1956. They include the Ark-Vue theater with 400 speakers … and the 166 Drive-In with 350 speakers”
Weleetka American, July 18, 1957: “The Bar-K drive-in theater will open next Tuesday, July 23, it was announced this week by Mrs. Georgia Kelly, Henryette, owner of the new Weleetka business located just north of town on highway 75 … There will be parking space for 100 cars, each space with its car radio. There will also be a concession stand.”
Weleetka American, Aug. 8, 1957: “Mrs. George Kelley, owner of the Bar-K drive-in theatre, announced that the theatre is now officially open … Due to technical difficulties the theatre was unable to open as scheduled. The opening was delayed until Friday of last week (Aug. 2) while new sound equipment was installed. Since school will begin shortly the theatre will operate on a weekend basis only.”
In the 2021 historic picture book Tulsa Movie Theaters, the authors wrote: “The Sheridan Drive-In … operated until 1963 at 4500 South Sheridan Road.”
Photo is from late April-early May 1946, when that double feature was playing at the Olympic, per the L.A. Times.
Boxoffice reused this photo in its June 5, 1954 issue, calling it the “Sky Vue” that time.
This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I just uploaded a postseason 1962 photo showing workers dismantling the screen tower.
This (also?) appeared in the July 7, 1948 issue of Tulsa World.