Celebrating 79 Years of Drive-In History
On June 6th 1933 in Camden, NJ Richard Hollingshead Jr. started charging to attend his 'Park-In' movie. That was the start of a craze that combined two of America's favorite items, cars and movies.
During it popularity peak, there were over 5,000 drive-ins to be found across America. One of the largest had room for 2,500 cars and entry gave access to a playground and full service restaurant. Fast forward to today with only an estimated 366 theaters left.
The Weymouth Drive-in, which opened in May of 1936, was the first to open in Massachusetts. Others quickly sprang up and by the early 1950's there were about 90 instate. Add the 40 located in Connecticut and 15 in Rhode Island and you may find in hard to believe this was ever the 'Quiet Corner'!
I was on vacation several years ago driving through New York state. We had a Subaru Forester (the same trip that inspired my First Car Story) and we were camping in the Finger Lakes District. You know those trips with good friends when silence is an acceptable form of communication? This was one of those. The three of us were enjoying a drive through the hills dotted with farms and antique stores (and farms that were antiques stores) when we drove past a Drive-In Theater that was still in operation. A few miles down the road I start reminiscing about the many double features my parents took us to. We'd watch the first show (I distinctly remember 'The Great Muppet Caper') and then we'd sleep in the back of our wagon while my parents watched the second feature.
'Don't you just love drive-ins", I said
(pause)
"We've never been to one"
Wait, what?!? So we turned around, drove back the half hour, and saw they were playing a double feature - Princess Diaries/King Arthur - and stayed 'til dusk just hanging around, talking, and watching the car lights start coming toward us from the surrounding hills. We tuned our radio to the correct station (no more hanging speakers), bought popcorn, hot dogs, soda, and chocolate everything and settled in to watch the movies under the stars.
Of course, since this was long before I came to work at here, I failed to take a picture of my Long Subaru at the movies. So - has your Subaru been to the Drive-in lately? Check out the helpful (but not necessarily accurate) DriveInMovie.com for potential locations. And while writing this article I learned that Ray, our Finance Manager, loves drive-ins and highly recommends the Mendon Twin Drive-In.
Go this summer and take the kids (of all ages) for an experience they'll never forget and maybe, just maybe the Drive-In Movies will continue for another 79 years!
During it popularity peak, there were over 5,000 drive-ins to be found across America. One of the largest had room for 2,500 cars and entry gave access to a playground and full service restaurant. Fast forward to today with only an estimated 366 theaters left.The Weymouth Drive-in, which opened in May of 1936, was the first to open in Massachusetts. Others quickly sprang up and by the early 1950's there were about 90 instate. Add the 40 located in Connecticut and 15 in Rhode Island and you may find in hard to believe this was ever the 'Quiet Corner'!
I was on vacation several years ago driving through New York state. We had a Subaru Forester (the same trip that inspired my First Car Story) and we were camping in the Finger Lakes District. You know those trips with good friends when silence is an acceptable form of communication? This was one of those. The three of us were enjoying a drive through the hills dotted with farms and antique stores (and farms that were antiques stores) when we drove past a Drive-In Theater that was still in operation. A few miles down the road I start reminiscing about the many double features my parents took us to. We'd watch the first show (I distinctly remember 'The Great Muppet Caper') and then we'd sleep in the back of our wagon while my parents watched the second feature.
'Don't you just love drive-ins", I said
(pause)
"We've never been to one"
Wait, what?!? So we turned around, drove back the half hour, and saw they were playing a double feature - Princess Diaries/King Arthur - and stayed 'til dusk just hanging around, talking, and watching the car lights start coming toward us from the surrounding hills. We tuned our radio to the correct station (no more hanging speakers), bought popcorn, hot dogs, soda, and chocolate everything and settled in to watch the movies under the stars.
Of course, since this was long before I came to work at here, I failed to take a picture of my Long Subaru at the movies. So - has your Subaru been to the Drive-in lately? Check out the helpful (but not necessarily accurate) DriveInMovie.com for potential locations. And while writing this article I learned that Ray, our Finance Manager, loves drive-ins and highly recommends the Mendon Twin Drive-In.
Go this summer and take the kids (of all ages) for an experience they'll never forget and maybe, just maybe the Drive-In Movies will continue for another 79 years!
