Starlite Drive-In
2830 Eglin Street,
Rapid City,
SD
57703
2830 Eglin Street,
Rapid City,
SD
57703
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From the book “Remembering Rapid City”: “…Construction of the Starlite Drive-In began in August 1948, east of town and at the west end of Superior Airport on highways 14 and 16. The complex held 650 cars on special rolling ramps facing a gigantic 56 foot square screen. Most popular movies of the day were the Westerns and double features at one dollar per carload.”
Perhaps someone else built and opened the Starlite? A note in the July 22, 1949 issue of BoxOffice simply reported, “The Black Hills Amusement Co. has bought the drive-in near Rapid City, S. D.”
Looks like this one was located at 2830 Eglin St, Rapid City, SD 57703. Currently the home of Ace Steel & Recycling. The Drive-in is visible in a 1971 Historic Aerial, and the screen is still standing as of the October 2015 Google Street View. The screen is used to advertise the Steel place and is fully visible from Interstate 90 which passes to the north.
Listings ended in 1975 for this drive-in.
This opened on October 1st, 1948 as the first drive-in in town. Grand opening ad in the photo section.