Monett Drive-In

621 State Highway 37,
Monett, MO 65708

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Kenmore
Kenmore on November 15, 2025 at 11:27 am

A 1959 aerial shows the drive-in completely demolished. By 1970, a housing edition was in place. Today, no trace of the drive-in remains.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on November 15, 2025 at 7:12 am

The Monett Drive-In is VERY short-lived. It opened in July 1952, but received a long closure following a fire that destroyed the projection room on June 3, 1953 during a showing of Richard Conte in “The Fighter”. It reopened the following year on May 7, 1954, and closed in 1955.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on May 16, 2020 at 1:58 pm

The Wheaton Journal said on Aug. 21, 1952 that the Monett’s screen had been damaged, apparently in a storm.

The Aug. 30, 1952 Monett Times reported, “Mrs. Georgia Kelley, manager of the Monett Drive-In Theatre, announced that the theatre will re-open tonight as the new screen has been installed.” (per a 50 years ago note in 2002)

The drive-in looked intact in a 1955 aerial photo but was long gone by 1970. A good modern-day address would be 621 State Hwy 37, Monett, MO.