The historic Sky-View Drive-In theater along Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois, has been put on the market for $275,000.
The theater is listed through the Goodman Agency in Carlinville, Illinois. According to the Realtor, the Sky-View underwent a $77,000 conversion to digital film format, so it is ready for the current age. The theater’s capacity is 400 cars. It is the last remaining original Route 66 drive-in in Illinois and was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame.
The Sky-View will continue to show current movies in the interim this season.
The Sky-View opened in 1950 by Frisina Enterprises, but much of its history came with longtime owners Norman and Del Paul, who owned it for more than 30 years. Norman died at age 93 in 2011, and Del died in January 2014 at age 90.
I talked by phone a few months ago to owners Tom and Denise Ambrose, who were considering putting the theater up for sale at the time (Denise is the Pauls’ daughter.) Denise said the deaths in her family and health issues prompted the move.
Also for sale is the Marvel Theatre in Carlinville, which was built in 1928 but is well-maintained. The theater is at 228 W. Main St., about two blocks west of the original alignment of Route 66 that goes through Carlinville. The asking price is $159,000.
(Images courtesy of Tom and Denise Ambrose)
Did anyone ever buy either place?