Peoria Drive-In
1631 W. Glen Avenue,
Peoria,
IL
61614
1631 W. Glen Avenue,
Peoria,
IL
61614
2 people
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The Peoria Drive-In was one of a handful of drive-in’s located in the Peoria area. It opened on October 2, 1947 with Dennis Morgan in “The Time, the Place and the Girl”. It was operated by the Kerasotes Theatres chain. It was closed open August 23, 1986 with Dennis Hopper in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”. In January 1989 it was destroyed in an arson attack and the remains were demolished in 1992. Housing has since been constructed on the site.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Want to make a correction on the information contributed by Bryan. My parents, Ralph W. and Marie K. Lawler built and owned and operated the Peoria Drive-In Theater on Glen Avenue in Peoria. It was the first Drive-In Theater built in Central Illinois and one of the first in the Mid-West. Their managers were first Bob Hagen and then Jack Geltmaker. They sold the theater in the 1960s to the Kerasotas. Jean Lawler Bell
Does anyone have a pic of the old Peoria drive-in on glen? If so please email me @
Link to a vintage photo:
View link
What’s there now? I cannot imagine a drive in on Glen.
Opened October 2, 1947 with “The Time, the Place and the Girl”. Grand Opening ad and date added courtesy Local History Collection : Peoria Public Library.
It appears to have closed August 23, 1986 with “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.” The drive-in was inactive at the time of its January 1989 arson attack. Its remnants were demolished for a project in 1992.