Got permission to hunt an old haunt of mine..........

[Jack Flynn]

Growing up in the late 50's and early 60's we had a state of the art drive in about 3 blocks over that opened in the early 60's. We used to climb the big oak trees as kids and watch the moviesHow well I remember Dr. Zhivago when it came out I believe that was a first BTW. Anyway the entire property has been fenced off and has been cut. A little bulldozier work here and there but still intact. Now all the speakers and the poles and yes, AC units for each automobile have been rermoved. A very nice drive in for it's time I must say. Well I just got permission to hunt the property. I remember well where the playground was, the usual spot BTW just under the screen, gone now. I can see the foundation of the big walk in snack bar and resturant still. The pay booth pads are still there also. Double pay booths I might mention. Well I can figure on very trashy that ought to be a gimme. The underground wiring for the speakers and such shouldn't be a problem, "if it's a long target just don't dig it". This just might be a great but very trashy place to hunt. I sure hope it works out!

 

[John - Maryland]

Good luck. Let us know what you find.

 

[NiagracountyNY]

Sounds like a great place to Hunt..We have one of those exact type of spots not far from me in Gasport...They have removed everything,but have set up a constrution/dirt storage on the site.I thought of trying to get in there and hit the spot where the screen used to be ,,Seems the playgrounds were always under the screen i guess..Good luck let us know how u make out.............HH

 

[Southwind]

I have hunted our old drive in and I can tell you be prepared for more trash than you can imagine. I did find some goodies, but I was mostly at the playground area. Way too many bottle caps where the cars parked.

 

[johnnywilliamson]

Hey Jack! Like yourself, I remembered going to certain drive-ins as a kid, so I knew exactly where the sites were located, as well as where the playground, projection/refreshment/ticket stands, and so forth were. Drive-ins have produced well for me, and I have found silver coins all over the sites, not just at the playground or the refreshment stand. People dropped stuff getting in and out of their car, walking back and forth to the stand for food and/or bathrooms, kids ran all over the place because they were bored and not watching the movie, etc. Plus it was dark/noisy outside, so if you dropped something, you probably wouldn't notice. In one of Charles Garrett's old coinshooting books, he mentioned that in the area where the heavy pipe railing stood - that normally kept people away from in front of the projection booth - was a gold mine, with coins coming out in clumps, because lots of kids played on the railing, hung upside down, etc. Good luck in your search. Johnny

 

[John(Tx)]

and we also had a drive inn like that except no A/C systems, first time I saw that was in Savannah, Ga while I was in the Army. Anyway, I also hunted the old drive in where the playground was right under the big screen, pulled out lots of silver dimes, quarters and Franklin halves. I would like to rehunt that old drive inn but the property now belongs to Dow Chemical Co. so very doubtful if they'll let me in. Let us know what you find. HH John