Remember When: Westmoreland County’s Drive -In Theaters
Pennsylvania’s Place in Drive -In History April 15, 1934: Shankweiler’s Auto Park in Orefield, Pennsylvania opened as the second drive-in theater in the United States. Shankweiler’s is now the oldest operating drive-in theater in both Pennsylvania and in the country. 2019 marks Shankweiler’s 86 th consecutive season. It’s now equipped with digital projection technology.
Pittsburgh: “Drive -In Capital of the World” Greater Pittsburgh boasted more than 40 drive-in theaters by the late 1950s. The Pittsburgh Press , May 9, 1958
Westmoreland County Drive-In Theatres Blue Dell Drive-in – North Huntington Maple Drive-In – North Huntington Bel-Aire Drive-In – North Huntington Odin Drive-In – Greensburg Evergreen Drive-In – Mount Pleasant Rustic Drive-In – Norvelt Family Drive-In – New Kensington Rose Drive-In – Harrison City Gateway Drive-In – New Kensington Super 30 Drive-In – Irwin Hi-Way Drive-In – Latrobe Super 71 Drive-In – Belle Vernon
Blue Dell Drive-In North Huntington Part of a Route 30/LH • complex that included the Blue Dell Diner and Blue Dell Swimming Pool One of 7 drive-ins Warren • family owned in PA & NY Single screen, held 500 • cars, opened June 10,1949 Sold to AT/Cinemette chain • in final years, closed September 1, 1985 Located at Vangura site • Postcard courtesy of Brian Butko. Ad from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 10, 1949.
Bel-Aire Drive-In North Huntington Opened July 2, 1957 • behind the Blue Dell Swimming Pool Another Warren family • drive-in Single screen with a • “balcony” where cars sat on an inclined level Very short-lived: closed • November 23, 1958 Aerial image from Penn State University (PSU) Penn Pilot. Ad from Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, June 10, 1957.
Super 30 Drive-In Irwin Andrew Battiston/Grance • Theaters opened this drive- in at the former Clonessy Farm along Route 30 on September 19, 1947 Claimed to be “largest and • finest outdoor movie theater in the world” Later acquired by the • Warren family and closed around 1970 Now shopping center near • PA Turnpike interchange Image from www.cinematreasures.org. Ad from the Latrobe Bulletin, September 18, 1947.
Rose Drive-In Harrison City Opened May 15, 1952 off • of current Route 130 Layout like indoor theater: • cars faced down at screen with center aisle “Pittsburgh’s largest” with • an 800-car capacity Another Warren family- • owned drive-in Short-lived: last season likely • 1955 or 1956 Ads from The News-Dispatch, May 15, 1952 and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 7, 1954.
Source: PSU Penn Pilot
Maple Drive-In North Huntingdon Opened on May 25, 1949, • operated by Associated Theaters Located on Route 30/LH • west of Norwin Town Square; two miles from Blue Dell/Bel-Aire A four-lane entrance led to • a 900-car lot; open-air patio with free dancing Cinemette closed theater • on October 19, 1986 Aerial image from PSU Penn Pilot. Ad from The Pittsburgh Press, May 24, 1949.
Hi-Way Drive-In Latrobe Opened August 4, 1948 • Owner John Ridilla’s • company, Dill Construction, built it on a 10-acre farm along Route 30 east of Latrobe airport crossroads Paved lot held 730 cars plus • Sunday flea market Drive-in closed in after CVS • purchased the land then demolished in 2011 Historical image courtesy of the Latrobe Area Historical Society. Ad from the Latrobe Bulletin, August 4, 1948.
Odin Drive-In Greensburg • Opened May 11, 1950 along Route 30 near downtown Greensburg • Owners: Bruno Ferrari, John Ridilla & John Slate. • Capacity: 400 cars • Closed in 1964; current site of Gabriel Brothers Aerial image from PSU Penn Pilot Ads from the Latrobe Bulletin, May 15, 1950
Rustic Drive-In Norvelt Opened May 29, 1953 under • owner Bernard Buchheit Located near Westmoreland • County Fairgrounds Accommodated 350 cars, • one screen located at the bottom of a valley Rustic theme: open-air • concession stand, log fence around driveway Final season was 1985 • Image from www.cinematreasures.org, courtesy of Geraldine Dzambo Mizikar. Ads from Latrobe Bulletin, July 2, 1953 and August 28, 1964.
Family Drive-In New Kensington Opened May 20, 1948 • along Route 56/Leechburg Road Designed by architect • Robert F. Beatty 750-car capacity • Also affiliated with • Associated Theaters; closed in 1971 Aerial Image from PSU Penn Pilot. Ad from The Pittsburgh Press, May 22, 1948. Image from www.cinematreasures.org.
Gateway Drive-In New Kensington Opened June 16, 1950 at • intersection of Logans Ferry Road and Greensburg Road Built by A. Fred Serrao, • whose son, D. Vogel operated Maryland’s Bengie’s Drive -in (built by his stepfather) Had two screens • Closed in 1994 • Aerial Image from PSU Penn Pilot. Ad from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 15, 1956.
Super 71 Drive-In Belle Vernon Opened June 22, 1948 on • Route 201 off of I-70 Eventually had two • screens, with capacities of 600 and 700 cars Closed after 1995 season • and absorbed into the Rostraver Square business district Aerial Image from PSU Penn Pilot. Ad from The Daily Republican, June 22, 1948.
Evergreen Drive-In, Mount Pleasant This was Westmoreland County’s first drive -in theater and now its only survivor. Opened as the Ruthorn Drive-In on June 19, 1947 – combination of owners’ names: Donald J. Ruth and R.M. Thorn. Renamed the Evergreen Drive-In effective April, 1949. Single screen accommodated 300 cars. Joe and Debbie Warren purchased the Evergreen in 1999 and added two more screens for the 2002 season. The Evergreen shows first-run movies on all three screens using digital projection technology. Ad from The Daily Courier, June 2, 1950.
Aerial mage source: Evergreen Drive-In. Ads from the Connellsville Daily Courier, June 19, 1947 and April 14, 1949.
Pennsylvania Drive-In Theaters TODAY The drive-in theater industry reached a high in 1958, with 4,063 operating across the country. Pennsylvania’s peak was in 1956, with 332 drive-ins. 2009: Pennsylvania had 34 operating drive-in theaters, out of a total 382 across the U.S. Nearly a quarter of the state’s drive-ins have closed over the past decade. Pennsylvania now has 26 operating drive-in theaters, out of total 317 across the U.S. Stats courtesy of the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association
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