Chief Drive-In
7777 US-491,
Shiprock,
NM
87420
7777 US-491,
Shiprock,
NM
87420
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The Chief Drive-In was opened in November 1954 and operated until at least 1980.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
US-491, .5 mile north of US-64 Shiprock, NM 87420
Located on the west side of US-491.
In the book Historic Movie Theatres of New Mexico by Jeff Berg, he writes that “the Chief Drive-In entertained the masses prior to 1955 until 1980. It allowed for 250 automobiles.” No other details nor source notes.
You can just see the remains of the drive-in across the street from the Dinah Christian Center. I could not get an address to lock in on the location with Google maps.
Boxoffice, Nov. 13, 1954: “George Armstrong is opening a 300-car drive-in at Shiprock, N. M., to be called the Chief. It will be the first drive-in to be built on Indian-owned land.”
George R. Armstrong of Cortez, deputy district attorney in the 6th judicial district for Montezuma and Dolores counties, still owned the Chief on June 18, 1957, when his name hit the Denver Post because of the way he settled an apparently unrelated tax issue.
Might as well use the Dinah Christian Center address: 7777 US-491, Shiprock, NM 87420, even though we know the Chief was on the other side of the street. That way at least the pointer will be close on CT’s map.