Big Chief Drive-In

Business Highway 10,
Lordsburg, NM 88045

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Chief Drive-In

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Big Chief Drive-In

The Chief Drive-In, once located on the original Highway 10, now sits almost totally gone. Only the foundation to the snack bar, projection booth remain, along with some of the fencing that was used to fence off the area in front of the projectors beam. This was a single screen drive-in. Opened on April 19, 1954 with William Holden in “Stalag 17”. It had a 300-car capacity. The Big Chief Drive-In was closed on August 30, 1964 with Audie Murphy in “Seven Ways from Sundown”.

Contributed by Randy A Carlisle

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

jwmovies
jwmovies on November 13, 2014 at 3:34 am

This drive-in was east of town on hwy 70 (now Old US 70). The ramps are still visible.

Anthony L. Vazquez-Hernandez
Anthony L. Vazquez-Hernandez on November 3, 2017 at 2:30 pm

Listed in the FDY of 1956, 1964 &1968

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on May 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm

From the Jan. 2, 1954 Motion Picture Herald:

Mrs. S. E. Allen expects to open her new 300-car drive-in at Lordsburg, N. M., in the early spring, and about the same opening date has been set for J. C. West’s 300-car drive-in, Grants, N. M.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 11, 2022 at 5:08 pm

The April 16, 1954 issue of the Lordsburg Liberal said the Chief Drive-In would open on April 17 with “Stalag 17” starring William Holden. “The Chief Drive-In has been under construction for several months now and is located about three miles east of town on Highways 70 and 80.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 11, 2022 at 5:24 pm

The last Chief ad I could find in the Lordsburg Liberal was Aug. 28, 1964. “Seven Ways From Sundown” was going to play until Sunday, Aug. 30, then “Drive-in closes after Sunday show for winter months.” Spot checks of summer 1965 issues showed ads for the indoor Coronado but nothing for the Chief.

Randy A Carlisle
Randy A Carlisle on February 12, 2024 at 11:25 pm

Still can be seen (ramps) from the Googlemaps Aerial view.. 32.335700, -108.655226 . The Cement foundation for the projection booth and snack bar still shows up also..

RAC Photography

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