Eupora Drive-In
10 Bowen Road,
Eupora,
MS
39744
10 Bowen Road,
Eupora,
MS
39744
1 person
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Jomac Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
J.F. Wofford, who owned the hardtop theatre in downtown Europa, decided to build the Jomac Drive-In to open in the 1955 season. Wofford was even operating the tractor to build the facility. Unfortunately, he was killed in an accident with an automobile while on the tractor. But the Jomac Drive-In continued in his memory launching on March 12, 1956 with John Wayne & Lauren Bacall in “Blood Alley”. 600 prizes were awarded in the week-long opening celebration week.
Billy Joe Bowen took on the theatre as it opened the 1963 season. He changed the venue’s name to the Eupora Drive-In. He also operated the nearby Eupora Speed Bowl Race Track. Cletuce Rudolph Finnagan took on the drive-in theatre. Unfortunately, he became the second person killed in a vehicle mishap and the drive-in closed in 1970. The drive-in was reopened by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Burleson on June 23, 1972 with Steve McQueen in “Le Mans”.
The Eupora Drive-In appears to have closed after the July 27, 1980 showing of Don Adams in “The Nude Bomb”. In 1996, the Highway 82 bypass was constructed in the drive-in’s location.
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dallasmovietheaters
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
A closer address is Co Rd 116 and Co Rd 276, Eupora, MS.
A 1960 aerial shows the drive-in intact. But a 1971 aerial shows a dirt track constructed on the southeast side of the property. It didn’t last long as by 1980 the track was gone. However, the drive-in may have still been operational.
Today, a business occupies part of the property, but you can still clearly see the outline and faint hits of the ramps remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/yc6oshtc
Thanks much!
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “Billy Bowen, owner of the Europa (sic) Drive-In at Europa, Miss., has had to close the airer temporarily after fire destroyed his home. Bowen said that while he was trying to get his residential problems solved he didn’t have time to operate the drive-in. He hopes to relight it soon.”
A closer address is 10 Bowen Rd, Eupora, MS.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right on the property.
https://tinyurl.com/7ffrbkhm
Just a bad year for the Eupora.
Boxoffice, Oct. 26, 1970: “A storm resulted in screen damage to the Morrow Drive-In at Calhoun City, Miss., and the Eupora Drive-In at Eupora, Miss. Both of the airers were forced to close temporarily while repairs were being made."