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Skyview Drive-In 595 S. Route 88 Road, Carmichaels, PA

Charles Walker III and his wife, Elizabeth, owned The Skyview Drive-in in Carmichaels since 2007. The couple died 10 days apart from COVID-19.

Save the SkyView Drive In! Carmichaels, Pa’s very own drive in theater. A cry for help now floating on the wind.

Most of our posts are about things that are gone. It may be something that is gone in essence, but still remains in ruins, like Nemacolin Mine. It could be something that is gone forever, like the Dry Tavern school. This post is going to be a little different. This post is about preventing something from being gone.

We love our history, that is why we do this blog. We love to share memories and get people talking about their memories. That is how we learn. We post up a picture or video and let people share their stories. This time we want your memories… and your help.

The SkyView Drive In theater has sat along route 88 in Carmichaels PA since it has opened in 1946. It was one of two drive ins in Greene County. The other being the long gone Waynesburg Drive In in west Waynesburg. The SkyView has been a staple of summertime entertainment for people in the area for what seems like forever. A classic set-up, it has hosted the best Hollywood has to offer right in our own backyard.

The SkyView features a cool,two lane box office with retro glass block front and the omni-present snack bar complete with vintage video games! The original concrete screen stands 55' tall. It is massive when standing close up! The second screen and additions to the original screen (to facilitate wide-screen format) were added in 1986. Many of the classic drive ins built in the 40’s had lavish screens that were themselves, pieces of art. The original Sky View screen isn’t by any means fancy, but is certainly a Greene County icon. As I mentioned, this icon needs your help.

Liz and Chuck Walker bought the SkyView in 2007. They have lovingly kept it running since. After a visit with them, you can see their passion for what they do. They gave us ‘behind the scenes’ access to the SkyView. You have no idea of what all it takes to make the drive-in tick!

Check out the photos of the projector and the reels! Imagine what’s involved in keeping a movie running seamlessly. Not to mention the box office… the snack bar… general maintenance… A labor of love, for sure! Save the SkyView Drive In! Carmichaels, Pa’s very own drive in theater.

This year, Hollywood will stop producing movies on the 35 mm film format. This requires all older theaters to convert to the very expensive digital projectors. So the funds need to be raised to convert the projectors to keep the summertime magic alive.

I always hear people say “I haven’t been to the drive-in in years”. Some of the younger generation have NEVER even been to a drive-in! In this day of Ipods/pads/phones, we’re watching movies anywhere… but it just isn’t the same! The experience of a drive-in is one of a kind and it is disappearing. There were nearly 200 drive-in theaters in PA in the late 60’s. By 1999 the number was in the 30’s… even less now.

I don’t care if you’re with the spouse and kids, your special someone or a carload of buddies, there is something special about a night at the drive-in. The cool night air, the smell of the popcorn, the fun memories… you can’t download that!

We’ve got to rally so save our drive in! Numbers of drive in theaters decrease every year and the digital conversion will surely kill off more. We will be posting information on saving the SkyView and upcoming events to our Facebook page. Look for info on SkyView’s Facebook and official sites, also. Please spread the word and link to this post to anyone who might be interested. One blog we NEVER want to do is… “Remembering the SkyView Drive-In.”

StrangeStephen on October 24, 2021 writes - The married owners died of COVID-19 in October 2021 a week apart. The drive-in is closed until further notice. I doubt it re-opens.

Michael Kilgore on December 11, 2021 writes - Following up StrangeStephen’s note, the Observer-Reporter of Greene County PA published an article on Dec 9, 2021 about the Skyview and its late owners. Elizabeth Clara Lysiane Walker, 57, died of Covid on Oct. 11. Her husband, Charles Walker III, 58, died of Covid 10 days later in the same hospital. They had owned the drive-in since 2007.

Caleb Miller, one of the Walkers' sons, told the newspaper, “We’re going to open it up next season if we can. If we can run it, we’re going to.”

StrangeStephen on February 28, 2023 writes - New owners are auctioning off the drive-in piece by piece in March 2023. 75 years of history being sold off in three weeks…

NessaChanNessaChan on March 21, 2023 writes - It is being auctioned off today (Mar 21, 2023.)

Contributed by Greg Lynch -