Hilltop Drive-In
4125 Nowata Road,
Bartlesville,
OK
74006
4125 Nowata Road,
Bartlesville,
OK
74006
2 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Griffith Amusement Company, RKO, Video Independent Theaters Inc.
Architects: Jack M. Corgan
Previous Names: Hill-Top Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The Hilltop Drive-In was opened on October 9, 1948. It was not fancy, but did serve its purpose of presenting movie entertainment under the stars in a clean, comfortable setting.
The Hilltop Drive-In had a 300 car capacity, and was operated by (RKO subsidiary) Video Independent Theatres. Bartlesville was the first American city to have cable television subscription service. RKO Cable quickly absorbed this profitable enterprise.
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Cactus Jack
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
This site has sketchy detail of the Hilltop & states the drive-in has been demolished -
View link
Oklahoma Historical Society has a vintage photo of the “High Tech” engineered Hilltop (misspelled Hilton) Drive-In. To view image type in word “Hilton” View link
Approx. address for this drive-in was 4125 Nowata Road. Now the city’s newspaper Examiner-Enterprise’s office. Behind the office, part of the outline though barely visible is still there.
Boxoffice, Oct. 23, 1948: “BARTLESVILLE, OKLA. – The new Hill Top Drive-In here, a Griffith Bros. showcase located three miles east of the city on the Nowata road, was to be opened October 8. The ozoner accommodates 500 cars and cost an estimated $130,000.”
aka Hill-Top Drive-In - its most advertised name in the 1950s before becoming the Hilltop Drive-In thereafter.
Although a new building has covered up part of the ramps on the eastern side, you can still barely make out part of the ramps to the south of the newspaper offices.
I’m curious of the origins to the name “Hilltop” as the ground around the property is rather flat.