Lake Park Drive-In
5606 2nd Avenue West,
Williston,
ND
58801
5606 2nd Avenue West,
Williston,
ND
58801
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Signs that point to a late 1952 opening for the Lake Park:
The Exhibitor, Sept. 17, 1952: “Ralph Pielow’s Quad States Theatre Service will handle the buying and booking for the new Lake Park Drive-In, Williston, N. D., owned by John Snyder and son. Pielow also handles the buying and booking for Snyder’s two conventional houses in Williston.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 25, 1952: “Williston, N. D. - Construction is progressing rapidly on the new 492-car Lake Park Drive-In, by the Snyder Theatre Co.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 10, 1953: (in a list of drive-ins opened in 1952) “Williston, Lake Park, 500 cars, Snyder Theatre Co.”
Sometime in the 1950’s, the screen was damaged by a tornado. The movie advertised on the marquee that night was “Gone with the wind”.
A gas station on the north side has expanded to take up part of the property. The rest has been razed leaving behind no trace that a drive-in ever existed.
Anybody got the final night of operation in 2012?
When did this drive-in open?
I dated the owners daughter , she took me here on first date ! Such special memories Mike Dowen
A closer address (at least for Google) is 5606 2nd Avenue West, Williston, ND. There is nothing left save for the outline and the ramps. http://tinyurl.com/gqf4jzy
The Lake Park closed last year and just in the past few weeks was taken down. Here is the webpage reporting it from the Bismarck Tribune: http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/old-north-dakota-oil-patch-drive-in-in-torn-down/article_71380504-fbfe-11e2-8f1f-001a4bcf887a.html
Approx. address for this drive-in is 5730 2nd Avenue West.
It was owned by Snyder in 1956.
The 312 N. Main St. address belongs to this theater:
/theaters/8298/
Looks like in the 5740 block of Hwy 85, way North of town. The Main St address is downtown, WAY too small for a drive-in theater.
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Lost memory, that is actually the address of the other movie theater they own in town. The drive-in itself is located north of Williston on Highway 2.