Manchester Drive-In
US 6 and Morancey Road,
Bolton,
CT
06043
US 6 and Morancey Road,
Bolton,
CT
06043
4 people
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Opened on 5th August 1953 with “Houdini” and “Flame of Calcutta”.
https://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-news-manchester-drive-in-site-20201208-rf5n2vntmvfzje5txnd6cmbbbi-story.html
Uh oh
Final night of operation was August 31, 1986 with “A Fine Mess” and “The Karate Kid Part II”. The January 1, 1987 edition of The Hartford Courant indicated “THE LAST PICTURE SHOW: The Manchester Drive-In closes for good” in a local review of 1986.
Sad state, thanks for the update and photos.
Has not been demolished. Screen frame and Snack Bar still stand in woods by Shenipset trail and Freja park. Via google maps, the drive in is to the left of Bolton Notch pond. I visited in early February, and the property is part of the trail, so it is not technically trespassing. Trail is actually old entrance to the theater. For the snack bar, there are squatters living inside but do not bother them. Sand pit is to the back left, no speaker poles remain (there are old light poles and telephone poles with wires). Due to new bridge out in front of the park and ride, the original marquee and sign have been removed. However, the parking lot out front allows your car to be left. The area is great to drive to and explore.
Billboard, Oct. 30, 1954: “Manchester Drive-In, Bolton Notch, Conn., erected in 1953 at a cost of $100,000, will double its Car capacity of 500 this winter, according to partners Bernard Menschell and John Calvocoressci. As a promotional stunt for the comedy, ‘Genevieve,’ the drive-in recently offered free admission to riders in pre-1920 automobiles at opening performance”
has since been demolished now a vacant field.
This opened on August 5th, 1953. Article:
Found on Newspapers.com powered by Newspapers.com
I grew up in Bolton, CT and graduated in 1981. We lived by the lake and every couple of weeks mom and dad would bring us three kids to the “Manchester Drive In”. It was exciting. My dad would make a big batch of pop corn with powered salt and butter, put it in a grocery bag then we all piled into the Ford Falcon Station Wagon. We ate supper early because dad would say, “we gotta get there early to get a good spot!” He was right. It was always crowded! I remember the first time seeing “Chiti Chiti Bang Bang and 101 Dalmatians at that theater. There are a lot of memories there, good and bad. One of our classmates was killed in the sand pit located behind the theater riding a three wheeler or some such motorized contraption. Rest In Peace Peter! But also, really really good times! I brought my high school sweetheart there often. We’ve been married for 34 years and we still live in Bolton. I would love to see the property revitalized, even another theater but to see it sitting there decaying is sad. I’m glad some of us still have these memories. There is so much more I could share. Maybe another time.
I was from Coventry High class of 84 . I remember last being there in 84 . It was a place to party . The back rows where it was groups of Coventry high , East Catholic , Wram , Manchester high ect. partying . Also there was a spot where the 4 wheel drive trucks would go into the sand pit in back . I would never see the main movie , just the Three stoodges . I think the place must have closed sometime after the 84 season .
More pictures here
I was there 5 or 6 years ago and the counter and ice machine were still there but I went back last weekend and the concession stand had been gutted with a strong burnt smell coming from the building. Someone also appears to be living in it.
It closed in the early 80'sa. As you see from my pictures it was very overgrown as of 2003 (http://www.cinematour.com//tour/us/12617.html). I can only imagine what it is like today!
Maybe if so many of US didn’t sneak into the Drive-in,more would be open.
When did the drive-in close? The last time I was there, when I lived in CT, was September of 1981. They were showing “Student Bodies” and “Saturday the 14th”. Both lousy movies, but we all had fun! This was also the best drive-in to sneak into. They NEVER checked the trunk!!!
MARK. THE MANCHESTER DRIVE IN IN 1956 parked 515 CARS AND AT THAT TIME WAS OWNED BY B. MENSCHELL AND J, CALVOCORESSI. I WISH I HAD MORE BUT THAT IS ALL IN THE 1956 MOTION PICTURE ALMANAC.
I ventured there sunday and to my dismay.. I don’t know how old the the opening description above is but after blazing a trail into the woods the only remaining sign was the rusting screen tower frame and a patch of screen. the vegetation growth was incredible, you could make out the ‘ramping’ and a few fence post along the entrance way but I found none of the above and my friends got lost in the maze of trees and shrubs that have overtaken the area, I thought I was back ‘in country’ for an hour or so. There appears to be a park right along side of this site and I questioned a few hikers about the place but they were surprised to hear it was a drive-in at one time.