A closer address is 3321 Fairway Dr, Highland, IL. A 1991 aerial photo shows part of the ramps remaining at that location with most of the property covered by a pond.
Today, there is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
From the Fort Smith Historical Society, the address of the 71 Drive-In was 1919 South Zero, Fort Smith, AR.
The address puts it just on the east side of Mill Creek, but according to the information I received, the drive-in was located where the Southerlands now stands, which is on the west side of the creek.
@Kris4011 If you look at the Google street view from Rogers Drive, it does not appear to be plowed nor are they terraces. They have the distinctive “bumps” of car ramps.
However, it is true that the ramps seem slightly closer together compared to the other drive-ins. So, while I’m not discounting anything, this has all the signs of a drive-in (either independent or an expansion) that was abandoned before completion.
A 1954 topo map shows that there was a road that ran along the east side of the property which was removed when the neighborhood was put in. Perhaps that has something to do with it or not.
Just to the north of the Boulevard Drive-In is the remnants of what appears to be yet another drive-in which is located at 3310 Rogers Dr. You can clearly see the ramps and the setting is perfect for a drive-in (downward slope to the screen).
A 1971 aerial either shows that drive-in was closed and demolished or perhaps it was never completed. This is because the ramps are intact, but no indication of a projection booth/concession stand foundation.
It also never appears on any topo maps dating back to the mid-1950s despite the Boulevard Drive-In being present.
Does anyone know if this drive-in was ever completed and opened?
The drive-in was located about a ½ mile south of
Milford Street & Locust Heights Drive, Clarksburg, WV.
The drive-in itself appears to be fully intact, including the screen. Although the projection booth/concession stand look a little worse for wear. The marquee is still standing as well.
The drive-in was located east of the town close to the intersection of US-212 & Durr Ln, Belle Fourche, SD. The drive-in is just to the east of that location on the south side of the road.
Today, it is private property. You can still see the ramps and general outline of the drive-in.
The Google Street view from October, 2016 shows the screen to be a skeleton frame. However, the ticket booth and concession stand/projection booth appear to be in decent condition.
The concession stand/projection booth appears to be in okay shape, at least from a Google street view in 2014. In the same photo, the screen appears to be in very good shape, almost as if it were recently painted.
The drive-in was well to the east of the town at 11777 US-180, Arenas Valley, NM.
Today, the New Mexico Pole Line Inc. occupies the eastern half of the property while the other half is empty. There is no trace of the drive-in remaining apart from the foundation of the projection booth/concession stand.
It appears that the projection booth/concession stand no longer exists and only the concrete foundation remains. A 2012 Google street view from US HWY 85 which runs along the east side of the property shows nothing is standing.
I appear to be mistaken about the screen still standing. While it does appear in a 2011 street view along Yellowstone HYW which is on the north side, a 2015 street view from HWY 25 on the south side shows the screen is gone.
So, it appears that between 2011 and 2015 the screen was taken down.
The drive-in sat east of town next to State HWY 76. I could not Google map an accurate address. However, an address that is next door is 6 Diamond Rd, Rawlins, WY. The drive-in sat just to the west of that location.
The drive-in appears to have been built in 1948 or early 1949 as it appears in a 1949 aerial, but not in a 1947 aerial. It also shows up on a 1976 topo map, but not a 1981 topo map, meaning it could have closed around that time.
Today, the property appears to be half-business, half-residential with no trace of the drive-remaining.
The Drive-In was located at 9 Yellowstone HWY, Douglas, WY. It’s on the west side of town across the river. The drive-in appears intact in a 1963 aerial, but by 1994 it was closed.
Today, a business sits on the property and even the ramps have faded to the point where they mostly cannot be seen.
Yet perhaps incredibly, the screen is still standing and looking in good shape.
The drive-in was located at 9842 Fort Worth Drive, Argyle, TX. A 1968 aerial photo shows the remnants of a demolished drive-in at that location on the west side of the road.
Today, the property is occupied by at least one business and a residence. You can still make out the vague outline of the drive-in.
A closer address is 3321 Fairway Dr, Highland, IL. A 1991 aerial photo shows part of the ramps remaining at that location with most of the property covered by a pond.
Today, there is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/y8d2wp7k
The screen is gone, but the ramps, concession stand/projector booth, and ticket booth are still there.
A 1966 aerial photo shows the outline of the drive-in surrounding a home.
Here is an overhead view of the property today. https://tinyurl.com/y9qe8gbv
From the Fort Smith Historical Society, the address of the 71 Drive-In was 1919 South Zero, Fort Smith, AR.
The address puts it just on the east side of Mill Creek, but according to the information I received, the drive-in was located where the Southerlands now stands, which is on the west side of the creek.
@Kris4011 If you look at the Google street view from Rogers Drive, it does not appear to be plowed nor are they terraces. They have the distinctive “bumps” of car ramps.
However, it is true that the ramps seem slightly closer together compared to the other drive-ins. So, while I’m not discounting anything, this has all the signs of a drive-in (either independent or an expansion) that was abandoned before completion.
A 1954 topo map shows that there was a road that ran along the east side of the property which was removed when the neighborhood was put in. Perhaps that has something to do with it or not.
Question for the group.
Just to the north of the Boulevard Drive-In is the remnants of what appears to be yet another drive-in which is located at 3310 Rogers Dr. You can clearly see the ramps and the setting is perfect for a drive-in (downward slope to the screen).
A 1971 aerial either shows that drive-in was closed and demolished or perhaps it was never completed. This is because the ramps are intact, but no indication of a projection booth/concession stand foundation.
It also never appears on any topo maps dating back to the mid-1950s despite the Boulevard Drive-In being present.
Does anyone know if this drive-in was ever completed and opened?
Found It!
The drive-in was located about a ½ mile south of Milford Street & Locust Heights Drive, Clarksburg, WV.
The drive-in itself appears to be fully intact, including the screen. Although the projection booth/concession stand look a little worse for wear. The marquee is still standing as well.
https://tinyurl.com/y9g5hdl2
Obviously, the drive-in was named after the town. There is a Broken Bow, Oklahoma as well.
It does appear that the base of the screen is standing. It appears to be made of cinder blocks and looks to be 18 to 20 feet tall.
I suppose it still stands because it would not be worth the effort to remove. Plus, it’ll probably last for quite a long time.
The address is TX-36 & Co Rd 251, Cross Plains, TX.
Today, it is private property with a small store on the front of the lot, but you can still see the ramps.
https://tinyurl.com/y72ml7f9
Wow, this is a tough drive-in to find. A 1951 aerial shows no sign of even a small drive-in on Third Street.
Which may mean that it was demolished almost immediately after it closed and turned into something that is simply not detectable as a drive-in.
The 1951 and 1954 aerial photos show no sign of anything at this location, so this cannot be the drive-in which closed in 1949.
Found It!
The drive-in was located east of the town close to the intersection of US-212 & Durr Ln, Belle Fourche, SD. The drive-in is just to the east of that location on the south side of the road.
Today, it is private property. You can still see the ramps and general outline of the drive-in.
https://tinyurl.com/y6uaelhh
The Google Street view from October, 2016 shows the screen to be a skeleton frame. However, the ticket booth and concession stand/projection booth appear to be in decent condition.
A closer address is 647 Hwy 70 W, Alamogordo, NM. The drive-in sat on the south side of the road.
Today, the property is empty, but you can easily see the ramps.
https://tinyurl.com/y74dunt9
The concession stand/projection booth appears to be in okay shape, at least from a Google street view in 2014. In the same photo, the screen appears to be in very good shape, almost as if it were recently painted.
Found It!
The drive-in was well to the east of the town at 11777 US-180, Arenas Valley, NM.
Today, the New Mexico Pole Line Inc. occupies the eastern half of the property while the other half is empty. There is no trace of the drive-in remaining apart from the foundation of the projection booth/concession stand.
https://tinyurl.com/y8x44wcn
It appears that the projection booth/concession stand no longer exists and only the concrete foundation remains. A 2012 Google street view from US HWY 85 which runs along the east side of the property shows nothing is standing.
I appear to be mistaken about the screen still standing. While it does appear in a 2011 street view along Yellowstone HYW which is on the north side, a 2015 street view from HWY 25 on the south side shows the screen is gone.
So, it appears that between 2011 and 2015 the screen was taken down.
Found It!
The drive-in sat east of town next to State HWY 76. I could not Google map an accurate address. However, an address that is next door is 6 Diamond Rd, Rawlins, WY. The drive-in sat just to the west of that location.
The drive-in appears to have been built in 1948 or early 1949 as it appears in a 1949 aerial, but not in a 1947 aerial. It also shows up on a 1976 topo map, but not a 1981 topo map, meaning it could have closed around that time.
Today, the property appears to be half-business, half-residential with no trace of the drive-remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/yc9o36ef
Found It!
The Drive-In was located at 9 Yellowstone HWY, Douglas, WY. It’s on the west side of town across the river. The drive-in appears intact in a 1963 aerial, but by 1994 it was closed.
Today, a business sits on the property and even the ramps have faded to the point where they mostly cannot be seen.
Yet perhaps incredibly, the screen is still standing and looking in good shape.
https://tinyurl.com/yb2refnn
A 1959 aerial shows the drive-in open while one taken two years later shows it to be demolished. So, closing in 1960 appears to be true.
That should be “east” side of the road, not “west”.
I believe I found it.
The drive-in was located at 9842 Fort Worth Drive, Argyle, TX. A 1968 aerial photo shows the remnants of a demolished drive-in at that location on the west side of the road.
Today, the property is occupied by at least one business and a residence. You can still make out the vague outline of the drive-in.
https://tinyurl.com/yartckwh
The property sat for years after the drive-in closed basically untouched until 2005 or so when everything was removed.
Today, the land is clear with no trace that a drive-in ever existed. Even the foundation for the concession stand has been removed.