Winchester Drive-in
Oklahoma City, OK Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
A huge towering marquee that can be seen for blocks, the sign for the Winchester Drive-in Theatre features a cowboy sporting a Winchester
rifle. Too bad they don't make 'em like this anymore. The Winchester was built in 1968. Known to locals as "Chester," the giant neon cowboy has been greeting motorists since the theater opened in 1968. Standing high above the surrounding landscape, the sign is one of Oklahoma City's most recognizable roadside landmarks. Even people who have never attended a movie at the drive-in often know Chester from passing by and spotting the giant cowboy from a distance.
The Winchester became a favorite destination for generations of moviegoers looking to enjoy films beneath the open Oklahoma sky. While countless drive-ins disappeared over the years, Chester remained standing as a reminder of a time when outdoor movie theaters were a common sight along America's highways.
UPDATE: The Winchester Drive In was directly hit by a tornado on Friday June 7, 2013 and the damage was great. The drive-in suffered structural damage to the main building where the concession stand and projection room were damaged and a brand-new projector was destroyed. The iconic neon sign and screen survived. They plan on re-opening again sometime this summer but no date has been set yet. Many thanks to David Hughes for update. 07-13
UPDATE : Coming up this weekend of October 25, 2013. The Winchester Drive-in will be having their grand re-opening this Friday, which will be their first time open for business since the June 7 tornado that hit the drive-in and caused damage. Many thanks to David Hughes for update. 10-13
UPDATE: The Winchester Drive-in successfully reopened following the tornado and remains in operation today. The whole situation sounds like something straight out of the movie Twister, with a drive-in caught in the path of a powerful Oklahoma tornado. Still owned by the same family that opened it in 1968, the theater continues to welcome moviegoers while Chester keeps watch over one of Oklahoma City's last surviving drive-in experiences. 06-26
Twin Drive-in Theatre
Independence, MO Photos courtesy Greg & Sonja West
The Twin Drive-in features a fantastic marquee at the entrance, complete with an overhanging arch that leads the way into the theater. Passing through after a trip to Kansas City, it was hard not to do a double take. Twin Drive-in Theatre'sentrance sign is absolutely immense and dominates the property, using sweeping lines, bold lettering, and a little bit of showmanship to pull moviegoers off the road.
The first thing you'll notice here isn't the movie screen—it's the entrance itself. The dramatic arch and distinctive marquee create a gateway that practically invites you to pull in and see what's playing. It's the kind of design that was once common along America's highways but has become increasingly rare over the years.
Unlike many drive-ins that relied on a simple roadside sign, Twin Drive-in made the entrance part of the attraction. The arch, combined with the classic script lettering, gave moviegoers the feeling that they were heading somewhere special before they even reached the box office.
The drive-in eventually expanded to two screens, giving the theater its name and helping it survive long after many outdoor theaters had disappeared. Today, that massive entrance remains one of the most recognizable drive-in landmarks in the Kansas City area. 12-04
UPDATE: The Twin Drive-in Theatre remains open today as the B&B Twin Drive-In. The historic entrance arch and marquee still greet visitors, while modern digital projection and FM radio sound keep this longtime drive-in tradition alive for a new generation of moviegoers. 06-26
Chief Drive-in Theatre (Closed)
Topeka, KS Photos courtesy Greg West
Here are a couple of photos of the Chief Drive-in Theatre of Topeka, Kansas. The story behind the sign is almost as interesting as the sign itself. The drive-in is long gone, but the marquee survived after Walmart stepped in and purchased it rather than see it destroyed. 10-05
The first thing you'll notice about Chief Drive-in Theatre is the giant illuminated chief profile that once welcomed moviegoers into the drive-in. It's the kind of sign that would be difficult to ignore, whether you were heading to a movie or simply passing by on the road. Built to attract attention, it succeeded so well that the sign ultimately outlived the theater it advertised.
The drive-in opened in 1953 and entertained generations of Topeka residents before eventually closing. Fortunately, when redevelopment threatened the marquee, local efforts and an unusual corporate rescue helped save one of the city's most recognizable roadside landmarks. Instead of heading to the scrapyard, the sign was carefully preserved and given a new home nearby.
Today, the sign stands as a reminder of an era when drive-ins competed for attention with oversized graphics, bright neon, and memorable characters. Even without the theater behind it, the Chief still does exactly what it was designed to do more than half a century ago—catch your eye from a distance.
UPDATE: Although the Chief Drive-in Theatre is gone, the iconic sign survives and remains on display near the Walmart on 37th Street in Topeka. Relocated there in 1995, it continues to serve as one of the city's best-known roadside landmarks and one of the few surviving reminders of Topeka's drive-in theater era. 06-26
Skyview Drive-in Theatre (Gone)
Oklahoma City, OK Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
This little fella was found perched on an old speaker post at this abandoned drive-in theatre just outside of Oklahoma City. You can almost here the little guy saying "whooo... whooo are you?" 02-08
It's not often that the star of a drive-in photo isn't the screen or the sign. At Skyview Drive-in Theatre, that honor belongs to a curious owl perched atop one of the theater's old speaker posts. Long after the movies ended and the cars stopped arriving, the abandoned equipment found a new purpose as a lookout perch for local wildlife
When drive-ins were at their peak, these speaker posts stretched across the property, delivering movie sound directly into parked cars. By the time this photo was taken, the theater had already fallen silent, leaving behind only scattered reminders of what had once been a popular destination for Oklahoma City moviegoers.
There's something fitting about the scene. A structure built to broadcast sound and entertainment had become part of the natural landscape, with the owl calmly surveying a place that was once filled with headlights, popcorn, and movie soundtracks. Sometimes the most interesting part of an abandoned roadside attraction isn't what's left behind—it's what moves in afterward.
UPDATE: The Skyview Drive-in Theatre is gone today, and the property has been redeveloped. The speaker posts, screen tower, and other remnants of the drive-in have all disappeared, making photographs like this one an especially memorable glimpse of the theater's final years. 06-26
Admiral Twin Drive-in Theatre
Tulsa, OK Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A visit to Tulsa is not complete without a stop at the Admiral Twin Drive-in Theatre. With its towering twin screens rising above Route 66, the drive-in has been one of Tulsa's most recognizable landmarks for generations. Originally opening as the Modenaire Drive-in in 1951, the theater soon expanded to two screens and became the Admiral Twin that movie fans know today.
The drive-in gained national attention when it appeared in the 1983 film The Outsiders, helping cement its place in both Oklahoma and movie history. Even for visitors unfamiliar with the film, the sight of those giant screens towering above the surrounding landscape is enough to make an impression.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, disaster struck on September 3, 2010, when a fire destroyed the theater's iconic wooden screen tower. The loss shocked movie fans throughout Oklahoma and beyond. Rather than accepting the end of the drive-in, supporters immediately rallied behind efforts to rebuild. The response demonstrated just how much the Admiral Twin meant to the community and to generations of moviegoers who had grown up attending films there. Many thanks to David for alert on this fire. 09-10
UPDATE: The ground breaking for the screen tower for the Admiral Twin Drive-in was Saturday June 11 at 10:30 am. They hope to get the Drive In open again in two months from now in August. Many thanks to David Hughes for update. 06-11
UPDATE: The Admiral Twin Drive In is back open again after the fire and running movies better then ever. The drive-in reopened in June 2012 and continues to see success after introducing digital projectors in May 2013 as well as upgrading the concession stand. Many thanks to David Hughes for update. 07-13
UPDATE: The Admiral Twin reopened in 2012 with a new steel screen tower and later upgraded to digital projection. Having visited the Admiral Twin both before and after the fire, it's been rewarding to see the restored screen standing tall once again. Even so, the image of the original tower remains permanently imprinted in my mind after all these years.Today, the drive-in remains one of the best-known attractions along Tulsa's stretch of Route 66, continuing to show movies beneath the Oklahoma sky while carrying on a tradition that began more than seven decades ago. 06-26
Winchester Drive-in
Twin Drive-in Theatre
Chief Drive-in Theatre (Closed)
The drive-in opened in 1953 and entertained generations of Topeka residents before eventually closing. Fortunately, when redevelopment threatened the marquee, local efforts and an unusual corporate rescue helped save one of the city's most recognizable roadside landmarks. Instead of heading to the scrapyard, the sign was carefully preserved and given a new home nearby.
Skyview Drive-in Theatre (Gone)
Admiral Twin Drive-in Theatre
