Lexington Drive-In
6210 S. Padre Island Drive,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78412
6210 S. Padre Island Drive,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78412
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Closed on Labor Day, September 2, 1968 with “Planet of the Apes” and “Our Man Flint.”
You can still see the remnants of a few ramps behind the AutoNation dealership.
This Theater Had A Very High-Rate In Crime Level Throughout The 1950’s And The 1960’s Such As A Stolen Radio In May 1957, And A Stolen 1956 Unknown Vehicle In 1963 When It Was Named The “Capri” After A Guy Burglarized Both Concession Stand And Projection Booth.
The “Bel Aire” Became The “62nd And Lexington” In 1956, And It Became The “Capri” In 1962.
As On What I Reported Earlier, The Lexington Drive-In Closed In November 1968 Due To This Story Reported On The 18th By The Corpus Christi Caller-Times As Several Burglaries Destroyed The Entire Concession Stand Building And A Few Cash Registers, Causing An Estimated $1,500 In Damage.
I Checked 1969 To 1977 Stories On This Theater, The Theater Never Reopened Entirely.
Opened on 16/12/1954 with 2 cartoons(not named) and “Houdini” and “Desperado”.
uploaded an 1956 aerial of this brand-new drive-in.
Why did it close so early? I know it survived Hurricane Beulah in Sep 1967, and around that time Corpus Christi Theaters (United Artists) tried to permit the addition of a second screen. There was certianly room on the large property. It was very close to an Elementary School and a new Junior High was opening nearby at that same time. Maybe they saw the writing on the wall because they closed after August 1968. It sat unused until Hurricane Celia destroyed it in Aug 1970. Pieces of the screen came flying at our house (two blocks away) throughout the storm.
Wonder why it closed so early?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCZUCJMiZvA
Our home movies of the aftermath of Hurricane Celia in 1970. At 4:23 one can briefly see the remnants of the marquee for The Lexington Drive-in. It was already closed by 1970, but was still standing…..until Hurricane Celia ripped the screen to shreds and sent the debris piece-by-piece towards our house which was 2 blocks away. Scary storm.
At 1:45 into the video one can briefly see the marquee for The Surf Drive-in on Ayers. Some clever person had put “Gone With The Wind” on the marquee.
Address: 6202 Lexington Ave (currently S.P.I.D.) | Capacity: 750 cars | Opened as Bel-Aire Drive-in: Wednesday Dec 15, 1954 | Opened as 62nd and Lexington: Sunday Oct 21, 1956 | Opened as Capri at 62nd & Lexington: Sunday Jul 23, 1961 | Opened as Lexington: Friday Jan 4, 1963 | Owner / Builder: Chester W Kyle, Fred Latham, Lewis Maples | Other operators: Mr.&Mrs. Herman Gould, Al-Ray Theaters, Crim-Hartgrove Theaters, Corpus Christi Theaters | Closed: Stopped advertising in paper August 1968 | Currently (2010): Champion Ford Mazda |
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