Drive In Theaters

[W. Gray]

I noticed that one has to have a working radio in order to hear the sound from the movie and management encourages you to play the sound as loud as you like. That is a new one on me, but I have not been to a drive in, probably, in almost forty-five years.

The ad said the sound would be as good as your radio--maybe with some of the sound systems they have today, you would have to have a good battery, also.

The owner makes extra money on weekends with a flea market and charges $10 for sellers and 25 cents for buyers.

The six screens must take up a lot of real estate that would seem to be crying out for development.

But, maybe not, the ad says the drive in has been there since 1949.

[Dale Smith]

Waldo,  Yeah, the sound plays through your car stereo. Depending on which movie you bought a ticket will depend on where you set the tuner on your radio.  Much better sound than the old days of hanging the box on the window.  And, this particular area in Atlanta (south Moreland Ave.) is not really crying out for development, trust me.  It's pretty industrial.  My only issue with going to see a movie there is that it's just a coupla blocks from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.  That thought makes me uncomfortable after dark, for some reason.  LOL

[W. Gray]

With that kind of neighborhood, it will probably be there for another 50 years.

[frawin]

There is a drive-in theatre in LaMesa, Texas.  We used to take the pickup and lawn chairs and take our kids up there to see a movie.  The sound was through your fm radio.  They built a new one in Midland, TX about three years ago, and I believe it had two screens.  It seemed to be pretty popular. 

When I was in high school, we often would take two car loads to the Eureka drive in and take up more than two spaces and sit between the cars to watch the movie.
Myrna

I forgot to mention that the most popular item at the concession stand was the Chihauhua sandwich!!

[dnalexander]

There is a drive-in theatre in LaMesa, Texas.  We used to take the pickup and lawn chairs and take our kids up there to see a movie.  The sound was through your fm radio.  They built a new one in Midland, TX about three years ago, and I believe it had two screens.  It seemed to be pretty popular. 

When I was in high school, we often would take two car loads to the Eureka drive in and take up more than two spaces and sit between the cars to watch the movie.
Myrna

I forgot to mention that the most popular item at the concession stand was the Chihauhua sandwich!!

The Chihuahua Sandwich was created by R. A. "Skeet" Noret and his wife, Sarah, at the Sky-Vue Drive In at Lamesa, Texas. The sandwich—no chihuahuas are included—contains chili, cabbage, onions, and pimento cheese in corn tostada shells.


Defazio Family Recipes
CHIHUAHUA SANDWICH
Yield: one
Ingredients:
two corn tostada shells
2 Tbsp. chopped onions
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chili, no beans
1/2 cup pimiento cheese spread
Directions:
Warm chili in a saucepan or microwave. Spread chili on one tostada shell. Top with onions and cabbage. Spread pimiento cheese on the other tostada shell. Put shells together and serve.
from the Sky-Vue Drive In—Lamesa, TX.


http://skyvuelamesa.com/Snackbar.htm

[patyrn]

We enjoyed a trip to the Beacon Drive-In movie last night in Guthrie, Oklahoma.  We hadn't done this for many, many years, and it was a fun time  They still had the speaker boxes available or you could listen through your radio.  We used the boxes, and the sound was amazingly good.  Many sat out in lawn chairs and used the boxes too.  The evening was warm but breezy with no mosquitoes, so it was quite an enjoyable and nostalgic adventure for us old "baby boomers".  Admission was $5 per person, children $2.   I was surprised at the number of patrons attending.  It seemed like a nice, safe environment, too. 

[Jane]

Does anyone remember a theater in Fredonia? Rex says that is were the Vinette family went. Waldo you need to look that up.

[W. Gray]

Jane: Done.

The Fredonia Drive-In had a capacity of 300 cars and was on the north end of town on Fillmore Street.

It is long gone along with 72 other deceased drive-ins in Kansas.

Some of the information, below, is suspect as some of the living theaters were also shown as dead.


Some other still living drive-ins somewhat near Elk County:
54 Drive-In, Gas, Kansas. Gas is just east of Iola on US54 and is probably the closest to Elk County? Somehow I cannot see that area still supporting a theater.
Chisholm Trail Drive-In, Wellington
Star-Vu Drive-In, Eldorado
Pageant Drive-In, Medicine Lodge

Some dead Drive-Ins near Elk County
Neocha Drive-In, Chanute
Tal's Drive-In, Coffeyville
50-S Drive-In, Emporia
Sunset Drive-In, Independence
Yates Center Drive-In,  Yates Center