Motor Vu (Closed)
Parma, ID Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The sign to the left is all that's left of Paonia Drive-in Theatre. Yes, the Paonia arrow now points down to an empty billboard.
The Paonia Drive-in opened in 1958 during the heyday of the American drive-in theater. While the movies have long since stopped playing, the surviving sign serves as a reminder of a time when families piled into their cars for a night at the local drive-in. 11-07
UPDATE: The Paonia Drive-in Theatre remains closed, and the theater's screen tower, concession stand, and other structures have been demolished. The weathered sign and its downward-pointing arrow stand as some of the last visible reminders that a drive-in once operated here. 06-26
Holiday Drive-in (Closed)
Boulder, CO Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The Holiday Drive-in Theatre was once the place to go for a drive-in movie in Boulder. The twin-screen theater served the community from 1969 to 1988, but today the marquee is about all that remains of this local treasure.
Interestingly, the sign itself predates the drive-in. The marquee was originally built in the early 1950s at another location before being relocated to the Holiday Drive-in. Following the theater's closure, preservation efforts helped save the sign from demolition, allowing a piece of Boulder's roadside history to survive.
UPDATE: Here's another photo of the Holiday Drive-in Theatre sign, located off of U.S. Highway 36 in Boulder. This old marquee was saved by the redevelopers who built the thing behind the sign as well as hundreds of other lofts, etc. Many thanks to Robin McCracken for info and photo update. 02-10
UPDATE: The Holiday Drive-in marquee remains standing and has been incorporated into the entrance of Boulder's Holiday Neighborhood development. Designated as a historic landmark, the restored sign serves as a lasting reminder of the drive-in that once occupied the site. 06-26
Holiday Drive-in marquee
Boulder, CO Photo courtesy Robin McCracken
North Star Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Ogden, UT Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the marquee for the North Star Drive-in Theatre. By the time these photos were taken, the signboard sat empty, but the star perched on top still hinted at the drive-in that once entertained moviegoers under the Utah sky.
The North Star Drive-in opened in 1962 and operated as a twin-screen theater until its closure in August 1998. For more than three decades, the drive-in served families in the Ogden area and stood as a familiar roadside landmark along Highway 89. 09-06
UPDATE: Following the theater's closure, the drive-in was demolished and the property was redeveloped as a residential subdivision. The North Star marquee survived for a few years after the screens were removed, but the sign has since disappeared as well. Another piece of Utah's drive-in history has faded into memory. 06-26
Cinderella Twin Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Englewood, CO Photo courtesy Larry Glass
Here's the Cinderella Twin Drive-in Theatre in Englewood, Colorado. When these photos were taken, there were already rumors that the drive-in had shown its final picture show. A lone car waits for the movie to begin while the speaker posts and giant screens stand ready for another evening under the stars.
The Cinderella Twin opened on July 13, 1973, with two screens and room for hundreds of cars. For more than three decades, the drive-in provided seasonal entertainment for moviegoers in the Denver area before closing at the end of the 2007 season. 11-07
UPDATE: The Cinderella Twin Drive-in Theatre permanently closed in September 2007. The screens, speaker posts, and concession building were later demolished to make way for a residential development. Fortunately, the drive-in's distinctive yellow marquee was preserved and remains standing as one of the last visible reminders of the theater that once occupied the site. 12-08
(Near right) A view of a speaker post and screen
(Far right) A single car awaits the start of the movie in broad daylight at the Cinderella Twin
Motor Vu (Closed)
Holiday Drive-in (Closed)
UPDATE
North Star Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
UPDATE
Cinderella Twin Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
UPDATE
