Valley Drive-In
2126 North H Street,
Lompoc,
CA
93436
2126 North H Street,
Lompoc,
CA
93436
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Metropolitan Theatres
Architects: J. Arthur Drielsma
Nearby Theaters
The Valley Drive-In was opened in August 1959. This drive-in is now closed. As of 2002, the property was being used as a recycling center.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Here are some photos from October 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/336paz
http://tinyurl.com/3cne94
http://tinyurl.com/34a7ub
I passed by this place in early December 2007. It looks like the place is intact. Is there any chance films could still be played there?
Address should be 2126 North H Street.
In the early 60s I worked there as a relief projectionist for the Santa Maria IA local. It had Simplex XL equipment at the time.
Not just any recycling center…DRIVE-IN recycling center!
I remember when my Dad built the Drive-In. Lompoc was in a boom time due to Vandenberg being the choice for the space program at the time. We spent many a good time there. I think we went for free since my Dad built it. Funny story: Back then, the river bank was lined with old cars. I guess that was sort of ok then to prevent erosion. There was a stand of eucalyptus trees behind the drive in. So, me and my best friend took the seat out of one of the cars and mounted it up in the eucs. We ran a wire for a speaker from the back row to our perch in the trees. Then we’d ride our bikes down there and watch the show. That is until we got busted! Those were the days……..
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, July 6, 1959: “Art Drielsma, architect, was in Lompoc supervising the early opening of the Lompoc Drive-In for Metropolitan Theatres.”
Yes, that was the Valley. “The Valley Drive-In Theatre was completed and opened in August 1959. The new drive-in theatre was built to accommodate 850 cars, with a 50 x 100 ft. CinemaScope Screen, an up-to-date lounge and snack bar and a playground for the children at a cost of $350,000. Wm. J. McDougall managed both the Drive-in theatre and the Lompoc theatre.” That’s from the Summer 1985 issue of the Lompoc Legacy (pdf), published by the Lompoc Valley Historical Society.