Opened with Robert Young in “Sitting Pretty” along with two cartoons: “The Magic Flute” (which I forgot where it came from), and Mighty Mouse in “The Catnip Gang”. It actually opened on May 5, 1950 according to its page.
As a single-screener, the Bel Air Drive-In originally had a capacity of 500 cars plus a 200-seat capacity seating arrangement, and has the installation of a panoramic screen. The Bel-Air was first operated by former Madison County Sheriff chief R.L. Wesemann of Collinsville.
What’s crazy about the opening date of the Bel-Air is that the Bel-Air Drive-In opened its gates while the rest of the drive-ins surrounding the metro area closed for the season.
The Bel-Air Drive-In actually opened its gates on Christmas Eve 1953 with Robert Taylor in “Ride, Vaquero”, and John Payne in “The Vanquished” with no extra short subjects, but however, the management on opening day distributed toys to the children only on first night of the occasion.
The Oh-Gee Theatre Became The Lux Theatre On May 16, 1939 With “Stagecoach” Along With A Few Unnamed Short Subjects.
The Lux Closed For The Final Time On June 7, 1958 With “St. Louis Blues” And “Short Cut To Hell” As Its Last Films. Between Both Films Is An Extra Called “Nat King Cole” Which I Don’t Know What In The Living Heck That Came From.
The only headline I can find about the Strand is that the one-and-only Marengo native Mr. John C. Miller operated the Strand until December 1918 when the theater was purchased by C.W. Ritt, who was a former news depot in Woodstock, as the Strand was undergoing some extensive changes.
Mr. John C. Miller along with his wife Mrs. John C. Miller would later open up the famous Miller Theatre (named after themselves) almost a decade later on November 8, 1927.
The Centralia Drive-In may’ve closed in the 1970s. The Kmart that was built in the theater’s site opened in 1980 and operated until June 2002. A Home Center store now sits in its site.
The McHenry Drive-In actually started life as a single-screener on August 30, 1972 with “Kansas City Bomber”, with a capacity of 620 cars, while construction of the second screen was in process at the time of the opening. The theater was actually named McHenry Twin Drive-In 1, in connection of the construction of the second screen.
A second screen was then added nearly almost a year later on July 3, 1973 with “Deliverance” at Screen #1 and “Fiddler On The Roof” at Screen #2, renaming as the McHenry Twin Drive-In 1 & 2. Both theaters had a total investment of $350,000, while the construction pays off only $200,000.
The McHenry Twin Drive-In closed its doors for the final time in October 1984. After sitting abandoned for approximately 3½ years, the twin screens were taken down and the McHenry Twin Drive-In was demolished on May 8, 1988 to make way for houses.
Sorry to say that this was not a 3-screen drive-in, and never known as the Briggsmore 3 Drive-In.
It appears that the Deerpath closed its doors as late as March 1987.
Opened as early as 1898.
The Alcyon Theatre Opened On September 24, 1925.
Opened with Robert Young in “Sitting Pretty” along with two cartoons: “The Magic Flute” (which I forgot where it came from), and Mighty Mouse in “The Catnip Gang”. It actually opened on May 5, 1950 according to its page.
As a single-screener, the Bel Air Drive-In originally had a capacity of 500 cars plus a 200-seat capacity seating arrangement, and has the installation of a panoramic screen. The Bel-Air was first operated by former Madison County Sheriff chief R.L. Wesemann of Collinsville.
What’s crazy about the opening date of the Bel-Air is that the Bel-Air Drive-In opened its gates while the rest of the drive-ins surrounding the metro area closed for the season.
The Bel-Air Drive-In actually opened its gates on Christmas Eve 1953 with Robert Taylor in “Ride, Vaquero”, and John Payne in “The Vanquished” with no extra short subjects, but however, the management on opening day distributed toys to the children only on first night of the occasion.
The Oh-Gee Theatre Became The Lux Theatre On May 16, 1939 With “Stagecoach” Along With A Few Unnamed Short Subjects.
The Lux Closed For The Final Time On June 7, 1958 With “St. Louis Blues” And “Short Cut To Hell” As Its Last Films. Between Both Films Is An Extra Called “Nat King Cole” Which I Don’t Know What In The Living Heck That Came From.
Opened on June 14, 1949 with Monty Wooley in “Miss Tatlock’s Millions” along with an unnamed Popeye cartoon.
The only headline I can find about the Strand is that the one-and-only Marengo native Mr. John C. Miller operated the Strand until December 1918 when the theater was purchased by C.W. Ritt, who was a former news depot in Woodstock, as the Strand was undergoing some extensive changes.
Mr. John C. Miller along with his wife Mrs. John C. Miller would later open up the famous Miller Theatre (named after themselves) almost a decade later on November 8, 1927.
The Centralia Drive-In may’ve closed in the 1970s. The Kmart that was built in the theater’s site opened in 1980 and operated until June 2002. A Home Center store now sits in its site.
Opened as early as 1917.
Closed On September 30, 2012.
It was a twin screener throughout its entire history.
On its opening day, Screen #2’s first attraction was “Network” while Screen #1’s first attraction was “Norman… Is That You?”.
It was closed on June 27, 2021.
Opened On May 18, 2018, Originally Scheduled To Open A Week Prior But Delayed.
The McHenry Drive-In actually started life as a single-screener on August 30, 1972 with “Kansas City Bomber”, with a capacity of 620 cars, while construction of the second screen was in process at the time of the opening. The theater was actually named McHenry Twin Drive-In 1, in connection of the construction of the second screen.
A second screen was then added nearly almost a year later on July 3, 1973 with “Deliverance” at Screen #1 and “Fiddler On The Roof” at Screen #2, renaming as the McHenry Twin Drive-In 1 & 2. Both theaters had a total investment of $350,000, while the construction pays off only $200,000.
The McHenry Twin Drive-In closed its doors for the final time in October 1984. After sitting abandoned for approximately 3½ years, the twin screens were taken down and the McHenry Twin Drive-In was demolished on May 8, 1988 to make way for houses.
Sorry to say that this was not a 3-screen drive-in, and never known as the Briggsmore 3 Drive-In.
Correct. The screens were taken down on May 8, 1988.
Demolished In Late September 1986. The Costco That Sits In Its Site Would Later Open The Following Year In 1987.
The Palace opened as early as 1925, and it became the Straub in 1945.
Opened On December 21, 2002.
Closed In 1955.
Closed In 1959.
Built And Opened In 1925.
This closed in the mid-1980s, and was left abandoned until sometime in the late 1990s.
Looks like it closed in the early 1970s. As of 1977, the traces were fading, but everything else is pretty much left attached.
Looks like the traces started to fade in the late 1980s, so it may’ve closed around there.
Closed In 1957.