Cherokee Drive-In
100 S. East Avenue,
Columbus,
KS
66725
100 S. East Avenue,
Columbus,
KS
66725
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The Cherokee Drive-In was opened by September 1952 when it was operated Stein Theatres. By 1955 it was operated by N.W. Huston. It was still open in 1970. It had been demolished by 1981. Now Quick Shop next to McDonald’s.
Contributed by
James Monroe
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
whats the other drive-in in the picture!
Columbus Drive-In
thanks drive-in 54.
From the March 21, 1960 issue of Boxoffice: “COLUMBUS, KAS. – Donald Bowin of Parsons purchased the Liberty Theatre and the Cherokee Drive-In from John B. Huston and his sister, Mrs. Dorothy Madson of Burson, Calif., effective March 15. The sale also included the Liberty Building, which was built by the late N. W. Huston and the theatre operated by him for many years. He acquired the Cherokee Drive-In from Louis Stein of Parsons, who constructed it. At the time of its construction, Bowin was associated with Stein.”
In a roundup of drive-in openings, the Sept. 13, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included: “Columbus, Kas. - The Cherokee Drive-In, owned by Stein Theatres, has been opened.”
The Cherokee was also included in an ad in the Oct. 4, 1952 Parsons (KS) Sun, so we know it was open by then.
Both drive-ins are present in a 1957 aerial. By 1981, both had been demolished.
Today, the property is home to a single large building that houses Calibrated and Folder Express. While no trace is left of the Columbus Drive-In, you can still see the parch marks of the ramps and outline of the Cherokee Drive-In.
Parsons Sun, June 5, 1965: “Mr. and Mrs. Ed Martin, owners of the Cherokee Drive-In Theater, leased the Columbus Drive-In Theater from Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Pugh. They will operate both theaters.”