Waverly Drive-In
2909 E. Bremer Avenue,
Waverly,
IA
50677
2909 E. Bremer Avenue,
Waverly,
IA
50677
2 people
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Waverly Auto-Vue
Nearby Theaters
The Waverly Drive-In was opened on August 4, 1953 with Maureen O'Sullivan in “Bonzo Goes to College”. It was operated by Ernie Thiess. It had 188 speaker posts with two speakers each, a full service concession stand with great food and a playground behind the concession stand with a slide, swing set, merry go round and teeter totters. It had an all gravel lot.
Located east of Waverly on Highway 3, the Waverley Drive-In was closed in 1984.
Contributed by
Lon Peterson
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
I was the projectionist at the Waverly DI during my high school years, 1962,1963 and 1964. One of my favorite memories was the early spring opening we did in 1964. Dorothy Theis was owner and she booked “Jason and the Argonauts” to open that spring. On opening night there was a big snow storm and I clearly remember how pretty that light beam traveling from the projector to that huge drivein screen through the snow appeared. Simply magnificient.
Pretty nice projection room with Simplex XL projectors and sound heads, Peerless Magnarc carbon arc lamps burning 8mm negative and 9mm positive carbons at 90 amps D.C. Consumed lots of carbon for a twenty minute reel; about 8.5 inches of positive for a twenty minute reel. The Hertner generator for the lamps was located right in the projection room which made for a hot and noisy environment but when your sixteen years old and doing just exactly what you want to do, the heat and noise are insignificant. Dorothy was a very nice employer and I enjoyed my few years at both the Waverly Drivein and the Waverly Theatre during the winter months.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ben Kehe
Motion Picture Projection Services, Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
918 906 3715
1958 USGS photo uploaded here.
Approx. address for this drive-in was 2909 East Bremer Avenue.
The address given by jwmovies is the correct address for this drive-in. The Waverly Drive-in opened in 1953 and closed in 1985.
There a business there now(possibly self storage?).
Most of the property is home to Iowa Transportation-Highway, which would indicate a government installation that maintains roads and highways.
Gerald Peterson was the last owner through his company Peterson Theatres. It was sold in 1989 after being on the market for 5 years to the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Opened on August 4, 1953 with “Bonzo Goes To College” (unknown if extras added), and closed after the 1984 season.