Pioneer Drive-In
111 New Athol Road,
Orange,
MA
01364
111 New Athol Road,
Orange,
MA
01364
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Correction: It opened with “The Petty Girl” and “Branded”, not “Pretty Girl”.
Edited from my July 19, 2020 (11:51 am) comment:
The Pioneer Valley Drive-In opened its gates on September 9, 1951 with “Petty Girl” and “Branded” (unknown if any short subjects added). It was first operated by John Whitney, and his brother Oakley who was the projectionist.
It was renamed simply the “Pioneer Drive-In” at the start of the 1972 season. When the 1980s rolled along, the Pioneer Drive-In received a number of incidents.
On May 17, 1980, both the Orange Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police dispersed an unruly crowd inside the theater. A 19-year-old Athol man was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct and released on personal recognizance at the Athol police station. A similar incident happened on April 7, 1984 but not much info.
On May 15, 1981, a Class A brush fire was extinguished near the Pioneer Drive-In, which the theater itself received no damage.
On June 12, 1982, the snack bar was closed for one evening following the manager reported to police that a number of kids were throwing objects and cursing near the snack bar. The kids vanished by the time police arrived. The theater also received trouble in May 1984 following concerns over several suspicious kids.
On August 5, 1982, police investigated a report of two men coming out of the woods near the theater carrying backpacks and sleeping bags. They were spotted heading for the railroad tracks, but the suspects fled after an officer spotted him, and both were never found.
On August 18, 1983, the operator of the theater was picking blueberries when he turned around and finds several police officers notifying him that he parked his car illegally.
On October 17, 1983, three speaker posts were knocked over during a vandalism report.
On September 3, 1984, police were called after reports of a person riding his bike inside the concession stand. Police immediately took the bike to the station. This came one week after a break-in at the theater.
The Pioneer Drive-In closed after the 1985 season and was demolished in mid-1986.