The St. Louis suburb of Maplewood, Missouri, wants to use a giant letter M, plus other letters that stood on a theater's marquee, as a gateway into the city at Manchester Road, also known as an early alignment of Route 66 in the St. Louis area. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The 90-year-old porcelain … Continue reading Maplewood Big M proposed on Route 66
Category: Theaters
Sky View Drive-In has new owners
The Paul family owned the Sky View Drive-In Theatre along Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois, for the last 30 years. By early March, another family in Litchfield also will own the theater. The Sky View is under contract to be bought by two husband-and-wife teams -- Nick and Mindy Pastrovich, plus Mike and Debbie Pastrovich. Mike and Debbie … Continue reading Sky View Drive-In has new owners
County’s Pecos Theatre purchase finalized
Guadalupe County officially struck a deal to buy the closed Pecos Theatre in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, according to last week's print edition of The Communicator, based in Santa Rosa. The newspaper reported the county signed a purchase agreement of $60,000 from longtime owner Rudy "Spider" Sanchez. The theater, however, will need an estimated $700,000 in upgrades before it … Continue reading County’s Pecos Theatre purchase finalized
Coleman Theatre marks 20 years of organ’s homecoming
The Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma, is marking the 20th anniversary of the homecoming of itsMighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. The organ was built in 1928 and installed at the theater before its opening a year later, reported the Joplin Globe. One of the heroes in the Mighty Wurlitzer's rebirth two decades ago was a Texan … Continue reading Coleman Theatre marks 20 years of organ’s homecoming
100 years of drive-in theaters in one map
The first of many drive-in theaters opened in New Mexico in 1914. More than 100 years later, someone has compiled an interactive map that shows more than 4,600 drive-in theaters built in the United States. Below is a screen capture of the map, but the direct link to it is here (the map may take several … Continue reading 100 years of drive-in theaters in one map
Neon lights at Tower Theatre turned on again
The neon lights of the Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City glowed with life for the first time in nearly five years Friday as a preview for its spring reopening as a performance venue and bars. The Associated Press reported: Scott Marsh, chief operations officer at Levelland Productions, is planning a “soft opening” by early April for … Continue reading Neon lights at Tower Theatre turned on again
Getting inside the Majestic Theatre of East St. Louis
Chris and Katie Robleski of Fading Nostalgia recently used their night photography talents to shoot the inside of the Majestic Theatre in East St. Louis, Illinois. The Robleskis wrote a blog about gaining access to the theater's seldom-seen interior. Their 26-minute podcast goes not only into the decaying but beautiful Majestic Theatre and the troubled history … Continue reading Getting inside the Majestic Theatre of East St. Louis
Gillioz Theatre celebrations to mark its 90th year
The historic Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Missouri, will mark its 90th year with a big New Year's Eve concert by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and an expanded number of classic-movie screenings and plenty of concerts through 2016, according to the Springfield News-Leader. A total of 12 to 15 films will be screened next year, … Continue reading Gillioz Theatre celebrations to mark its 90th year
Santa Rosa theater may be revived
It's not a sure thing, but plans to revive the historic Pecos Theatre in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico, got a big boost last week when a state official enthusiastically supported Guadalupe County's proposal to buy and renovate the theater, according to an article in the print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator. The town's … Continue reading Santa Rosa theater may be revived
TeePee Drive-In goes up for sale again
The long-closed TeePee Drive-In on an original alignment of Route 66 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, is on the market again, according to KJRH-TV in Tulsa, after a brief ray of hope for its revival a few years ago faded. The asking price for the property is $275,000. Here's the video report from the station, which has … Continue reading TeePee Drive-In goes up for sale again