North 1 Drive-In

The North 1 Drive-In was the second to last drive-in to be built in Columbia, opening on April 29, 1970 with Cesar Romero in “How To Make It” and Henry Fonda in “Once Upon A Time In The West”.

However, a few seasons later, the North 1 Drive-In eventually flipped the table and became an X-rated theatre, which led into multiple complaints and concerns.

Its last year of operation, 1980, crossed the line big time. On July 12, 1980, the owner of the theatre was arrested due to the films they showed at the North 1 Drive-In, but was released two days later. However, two weeks later on July 26, more arrests, including the manager, after reports of a child being allowed by the manager to watch an X-Rated movie. The manager was charged by Columbia Police following the incident. That year’s incidents led to the closure of the North 1 Drive-In for good. The theatre immediately closed its gates for the final time in October of 1980.

The drive-in was demolished in the latter half of the 1980’s to make way for a New Life Fitness World, which opened in October 1991, closed in the early-2010’s, and demolished in either late-2019 or early-2020.

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