Iowa Drive-In
190th Street and 408 Avenue,
Shenandoah,
IA
51601
190th Street and 408 Avenue,
Shenandoah,
IA
51601
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Central States Theatres Corp, Commonwealth Theaters Corp.
Nearby Theaters
Located to the west of town on 190th Street off Highway 59. The Iowa Drive-In opened in 1953. Car capacity was 375 cars. In early-May 1958 it was taken over by Commonwealth Theatres. It was still listed as open in the mid-1970’s and it was operated by Central States Theatres. It had been demolished by 1994.
Contributed by
Chris1982
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Found it. Located west of the town at the NW corner of 190th and 408 Ave. The drive-in is but a faint outline today with elements of the screen foundation left. https://goo.gl/maps/j9c5I
Still listed in 1988 Motion Picture Almanac, but that is only a starting point for further research. MPA not always reliable, mainly because the theatre owners would not fill out and return their postcards, “are you still in business?”
The drive-in was intact in a 1982 aerial, but was completely demolished by 1994.
A May 2014 Google Street View shows a couple of short brick structures where the entrance once stood. Plus, it appears that a few pieces of the screen foundation may still be in place.
Otherwise, you’d never know a drive-in once stood on the property. It is now farmland.
Boxoffice, May 5, 1958: “Since January, Commonwealth (Theatres) has taken over operation of … the Iowa Drive-In, Shenandoah, Iowa”
Cedar Rapids Gazette, Aug. 1, 1959: “Seventy-mile-an-hour winds lashed the Shenandoah area Friday (July 31) afternoon … The entire screen of the Iowa Drive-in theater was felled”