Echo Drive-In
380 Wray Large Road,
Jefferson Hills,
PA
15025
380 Wray Large Road,
Jefferson Hills,
PA
15025
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 19 comments
the ramps and ticketbooth still stand as of 2019 possibly even the concession stand
Grand opening was on July 2, 1955 with “Many Rivers To Cross” and “Gypsy Colt”. Final night of operation was on September 15, 1985 with “Pale Rider” and “Mad Max”.
Now Arden Courts of Jefferson Hills. Approx. address for this drive-in was 380 Wray Large Road, Jefferson Hills.
Does anybody have any photos of this drive-in that they could post?
I remember going here for several movies, including a double bill of “The Sting” and “The Hindenburg”. My Dad noticed there was a Hudson Truck parked behing the screen. Hudson built mostly cars, so this was a rare vehicle. It must of been owned by somebody that worked there.
The main photo is not anwhwere near where the drive in was. It was miles down the road.
Here is a 1987 view of the South Hills Drive-In:
http://tinyurl.com/yedrna8
I wish I did.. I only have the South Hills one in my head. I looked on pittsburgh signs website.. not there.
I was fortunate to have gotten photos of the field, screen, and snack bar before it was all torn down. You can find these on www.drive-ins.com Unfortunately, the marquee was already removed from Route 51. I also missed getting the marquees for the neighboring Colonial and South Hills Drive-Ins too. Eventually somebody out there has photos of these marquees and can post them on the Internet. Anyone?
no, nothing except for an all too level looking empty space next to the assisted living center. I do remember the screen still being there in the late 80’s, early 90’s.
That’s what was noted earlier. I was wondering if any part of the drive-in remains.
I drove by where I remember the Echo being today… there’s an assisted living center there now?
Is there any part of the theater left on the property? If not, the status should be closed/demolished.
:(
From Boxoffice magazine, March 1956:
PITTSBURGH-The Echo Drive-In here has been purchased by Morris Finkel, indoor exhibitor, and Associated Theaters. Recently it was known that Finkel had closed negotiations for the largest ozoner in the Pittsburgh area from builder Al Kurtak, and now officially the Echo Drive-In on Route 51 at Large is in the joint hands of Associated Theaters and Finkel. The Echo, built and opened last year, is about one-half mile from Associated’s Colonial Drive-In on Route 51.
Here is a July 1955 news article about the opening:
http://tinyurl.com/57e2lq
This is an aerial photo of The Echo Drive-In taken May 26, 1967.
View link The road running diagonally through the photo is Rt 51. You can see the winding road leading up to the entrance.
Photo from Penn Pilot http://www.pennpilot.psu.edu/learnHow.html
When Clairton Road was upgraded several years ago due to the new Mon Valley Expressway, the entrance to the Echo was removed and the hillside graded away. No trace of the entrance remains.
Located on top of a hill in the small borough of Large (no pun intended), the Echo opened on July 3, 1955. It was the second of three drive-ins located along the Pleasant Hills/Jefferson Hills stretch of PA 51, preceded by the Colonial five years earlier and followed by the South Hills four years later. The Echo closed at the end of the 1985 season, the first of the trio to close for good.