La Grande Drive-In
404 20th Street,
La Grande,
OR
97850
404 20th Street,
La Grande,
OR
97850
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Boxoffice, May 19, 1951: “LA GRANDE, ORE. - The community’s first airer, the La Grande Drive-In, opened May 1 under the partnership of W. J. Shell and A. V. Parker. The 400-car outdoorer cost an estimated $50,000.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 9, 1954: “LA GRANDE, ORE. – Parker and W. J. Shell, owners of the drive-in theatre, have sold it to Francis Greulich of La Grande and Ted Jones of Santa Monica, Calif. Greulich and Jones own the two La Grande theatres, the Liberty and the Granada.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”
The Grand Opening was May 10,1951
The 1952 Theatre Catalog already listed the LaGrande, capacity 350, exec: W.J. Shell. (The 1949-50 edition doesn’t list it.)
The drive-in’s web site said it was purchased by its current owners in 1953, suggesting it was built earlier.
The La Grande Drive-In has mad the conversion to digital projection. Their website has the drive-in at the bottom of the webpage. It is closed for the season.