Frontier Drive-In
McGregor Drive,
Knoxville,
IA
50138
McGregor Drive,
Knoxville,
IA
50138
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Kerr Theatres
Styles: Rustic
Nearby Theaters
No theaters found within 30 miles
On July 4, 1953, BoxOffice reported: “Newest addition to the open-air theaters in this area is the Frontier Drive-In, located just across a bridge on Highway 92 west of Knoxville. Operated by the Kerr Theatres chain, the theatre opened for business June 26, 1953. The building which houses restrooms, concession stand, projection room and storage space, resembles a log stockade. Space for 425 cars is available.”
That bridge was the one over White Breast Creek, and the Frontier Drive-In was south of old Iowa Highway 92, now McGregor Road. The current Iowa 92 cuts across what was the back of the viewing area. Nothing remains of the Frontier Drive-In today.
Contributed by
Michael Kilgore
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Google maps to 41.323896, -93.151693 right next to White Breast Creek where the bridge used to cross when McGregor Rd was Route 92. Appears on 1964 Aerial map on historicaerials.com. It looks like it was already closed by that time.
The 1964 aerial photograph shows the screen is gone. No trace of the drive-in remains today.
The Frontier was still there in 1962 when Carl Schwanebeck gave away a diamond ring to mark the drive-in’s ninth anniversary, according to a note in the Aug. 6, 1962 BoxOffice.
But the Frontier was gone by this June 10, 1964 note from Motion Picture Exhibitor: “Earl Kerr has opened the new Hi-Vu Drive-In, Knoxville, Ia. The new drive-in replaces the Frontier Drive-In. The federal Red Rock dam project necessitated the move.”
Kerr Theatres was a small circuit based in Colorado (but owning no theatres there). They ran the Frontier here, as well as a Frontier in Bethany, MO.