Illiana Drive-In

A July 2023 Google Street View shows the screen to still be standing, albeit with vines covering a large part of it. The projector booth/concession stand is rubble, but the general outline, ramps, and part of the entrance & exit roads still exist.

Is the screen tower still standing?

Because it is on the border of the states Illinois and Indiana.

My Aunt and Uncle managed it when Jack Butler owned it. I’m pretty sure I have some pictures I will just have to find them. I worked there from about 1968 through 1977. It was a great place to work.

There’s a bunch of 1999 Illiana photos in this set on FLickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrensnow/sets/72157605357779599

In a Goggle Earth flyover as recent as 2014 the Illiana can be seen as heavily overgrown from decades of apparent abandonment, though you can clearly see where the ramps were. It appears that the concession stand & booth are gone, but the original block building used as the screen is still standing. Incidentally, this “screen” barely accommodated a 1.5:1 aspect ratio so for any 2.35:1 shows the audience lost nearly half of the picture, though no one ever seemed to complain. Located where it was, well outside the city, the Illiana “got away” with many of the more racier films (for that era). The only time the Illiana was ever (temporarily) shut down was in the summer of 1969 for showing Russ Meyer’s VIXEN, after it had been playing to a nightly sellout crowd and held-over for the beginning of a 4th week (film seized, projectionist & mgr both arrested & taken to the Vermilion County jail, along with theater owner Jack Butler). According to local folklore this action was said to be in response to weeks of continuing local clergy outcry. Charges were eventually dropped, but the film was never returned.

Open 1955-1980’s?

Open for sure 1967.

For Sale in 2002?

Need an address, more info and photos.