49'er Drive-in
675 N. Calumet Avenue,
Valparaiso,
IN
46383
675 N. Calumet Avenue,
Valparaiso,
IN
46383
8 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
49er Drive-In (Official)
Additional Info
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Shauer's 49'er Drive-In
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
219.462.6122
Nearby Theaters
The 49'er Drive-in opened May 3, 1956 with Bob Hope in “The Seven Little Foys” and Walt Disney’s “The Living Desert”. This single screen drive-in has a capacity for 425 cars.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
This place shows weekend double features and is a good bet for summer residents who live or vacation near the Indiana Dunes State Park/National Lakeshore. A blast from the past.
I have been there a long time ago. I was thinking of going back to see it some time this year. I liked it back in the 70’s When they put on some b movies.
John Woodcox
Here are some additional photos:
http://tinyurl.com/y9gmzeq
Here is a view of the marquee and the screen:
http://tinyurl.com/y86vtal
Drive-ins are nice not much overhead.
The current owners say that Opening Day was May 3, 1956. It was sold around 1985 to Bruce Shinabarger, and then to Steve and Mike Cotton in 2000.
A December 2010 blizzard knocked down the screen, but they got it back up in May to open for the 2011 season. (Photo here.) The owners said the original wooden screen had blown done years earlier “while a film was being shown.”
Why the name 49'er?
The name “The 49'er” comes from the name of the former highway it was located on, although Indiana 49 has been relocated just a bit to the east.
Grand opening ad:
49er drive-in opening Thu, May 3, 1956 – 20 · Vidette-Messenger of Porter County (Valparaiso, Indiana) · Newspapers.com