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Residents in Los Angeles County have watched their drive-in theatre treasures fall by the wayside in recent years. As the population density increases and people move further away from the main city, drive-ins that were once located in the outskirts suddenly find themselves sitting on prime land.

And then there are two... or were...

The L.A. County area now finds itself with just 1 open drive-in... the Vineland. The most recent one to fall was the Fiesta 4 (formerly the Whittier) and the Azusa Foothill has been closed for a couple of years now. Here at Roadside Peek's L.A. County Drive-Ins, see what's remaining, both open and closed.

 

Vineland Drive-in Theatre (Screen and marquee replaced)
Industry, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com


The Vineland Drive-In Theatre in Industry sports some of most pastel colors in the industry (sic.). This drive-in is open daily for both swap meets and movies. The area around is all industrial, so the huge lot may be a sitting duck for a weasel factory one day. You just never know.

(Far left) The screen tower at the Vineland Drive-in

UPDATE: The screen tower and marquee at the Vineland Drive-in were replaced. Word is the tower was deteriorating and in danger of collapsing.

 

Foothill Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Azusa, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

One of the last of the Route 66 drive-ins, the Foothill Azusa in the friendly city of Azusa is a single-screener to boot! The nearby Azusa Pacific University has taken over ownership of this site with the interest of extending its campus/parking. Yep, they're about to pave paradise and put up a parking lot.

Azusa Drive-in Marquee
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

UPDATE 07/06 : The screen tower was torn down several months ago. 07-06

UPDATE 02/07 : All that's left of this drive-in is the marquee. Painting has been going on, though the word is the neon will not be replaced. 02-07

UPDATE 06/07 : Here's a more recent shot of the Foothill marquee taken in early June 2007. 06-07

 

Foothill Drive-in Marquee
Photo courtesy Chris & Ginger

 

 

Fiesta Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Pico Rivera, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com


The Fiesta 4 was formerly called the Whittier Drive-In. A multiplex is being built behind the drive-in lot, leading many to believe that the end of the road has come for this Pico Rivera treat. However, the drive-in recently celebrated its 50th anniversary which should count for something.

UPDATE : The Fiesta was demolished in early August, 2000.

 

Sundown Theatre, H.W. Bruen/ Pacific Theatres
1954 - 1999 (Demolished)
Whittier, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com


The Sundown Drive-in Theatre in Whittier sported googie architecture that would've made even Googie's themselves jealous.

Sundown marquee
Whittier, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

 

Well, perhaps not. In either case, the Sundown's colorful paint scheme and lettering on it's marquee and screen tower was a fixture in the area.

 

Unfortunately, the big bad boom-mobile took over and leveled this old drive-in to the ground in early 1999. Drive-in aficionados have not been the same since.

 

Sundown marquee down
Whittier, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Page Last Updated June 30, 2007