Hi-Land Drive-In
3014 W. Kennewick Avenue,
Kennewick,
WA
99336
3014 W. Kennewick Avenue,
Kennewick,
WA
99336
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When the town of Kennewick, Washington was much smaller in the 1940’s, it had its own drive-in theatre in an area known as the Highlands, on what used to be the outskirts/edge of the town on Highway 410. Archives for the Tri-City Herald show that the drive-in was opened on March 27, 1948 with Ronald Reagan in “Stallion Road”. It was operated by Midstate Amusement Corp. It then went to SRO in the mid-1960’s. Outside of movies, the drive-in also used to hold church services occasionally.
The Hi-Land Drive-In (also credited as Hiland in movie advertisements) seems to have been built twice, or at least one article in the Tri-City Herald archives states it was rebuilt in the early-1950’s. Another says that its screen was upgraded in that time period.
Eventually, there was interest in the land where the drive-in once was, and it was sold in early-1975, closing on October 26, 1975 with Peter Fonda in “Race with the Devil” & George Segal in “The Terminal Man”. It was demolished in December 1975. In its place would be the Highlands Shopping Center, and the entrance was where Carl’s Jr. stands today.
Contributed by
John Book
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
http://i45.tinypic.com/2zxmvie.jpg http://i47.tinypic.com/5kh6oj.jpg Two photos of the Hiland
I got one of the pictures, could not find the other one.
Opened as the Highland Drive-In Theater on March 27, 1948 with “Stallion Road”.
Th entrance was in the opposite direction away from the highwway.
Now Bob’s Casino behind said shopping center @ 3014 W Kennewick Ave, Kennewick, WA 99336.
Please update.
The Hi-Land closed for the season on Oct 26, 1985 with “Race with the Devil” and “The Terminal Man.” The drive lost that race becoming terminal as George Rhone demolished the Hi-Land D-I less than two months later in December of 1975. The ozoner appears to have ended after a 25-year lease expiry with “Terror at the Wax Museum” and “Now the Screaming Starts”
You mean October 26, 1975, not 1985.