Does anyone remember this drive-in theater?

So I guess Brown Barge used to be a Black elementary school? http://etd.fcla.edu/WF/WFE0000090/Juneau_Gayle_Ann_Alexandra_200705_EdD.pdf

Brown Barge Magnet Middle School, similar to the newer procedures for charter
school transformations, was established from the closing of Brown Barge Elementary
School that began in 1955. During the early years of the school, Brown Barge was
considered a community school for African American children who commuted from
distances as far as 15 miles away, such as Olive Road and Ensley. From this perspective,
African American families supported commuting their children to Brown Barge because 12
it was an elementary school founded by and operated by members of their own race. It
was the educational structure for hope, opportunity, and self-worth to African Americans
in a rural, southern community. Historically, it existed prior to desegregation in
Pensacola, so it represented the place where learning was endorsed for a race of people
considered not deserving a chance to learn amidst white masses of students in
classrooms. Until the Augustus Case, Brown Barge existed as one of the few places an
African American child could experience a chance for educational empowerment.

Okay, part of the drive-in mystery has now been solved. Someone I know remembers that the drive-in was damaged in Hurricane Flossy and it closed up after that. He remembers the screen being blown down by the hurricane.
Hurricane Flossy hit a few months after I moved here in 1956 so we now know the theater was in business all the way up until then.
In a little while I'm heading to the geneology library (the one by PJC) where they now keep all the old city directories. I should be able to find a pre-1956 one which will list the drive-in and give it a name.

Based on this, I'm now guessing that the same theater owners probably opened the Ranch Drive-in shortly after this. Because it doesn't seem likely that two drive-ins would be operating at the same time and be so close to each other. If that's the case, I expect the Ranch will begin to show up in the city directories shortly after 1956.

Google reveals that Gayfers was opened in 1956. And that means Town and Country Plaza was probably opened at about the same time.
That could have provided the motivation for re-locating the drive-in across the street from the shopping center instead of rebuilding it at the Fairfield/Davis intersection.

Oh boy now the drive-in story mystery deepens.

According to a national drive-in database, there was a Palafox Drive-in located at 4319 N. Palafox which is another new one on me.
We actually have an aerial photo of it which was taken in 1958...



But 4319 N Palafox is of course not at the intersection of Fairfield and Davis. It's on Palafox not far south of the intersection of Palafox and Pace.

So that's 3 drive-ins all in the same vicinity. And another website says the Ranch was opened in 1955. And the database gives us this photo of the Ranch purportedly taken in 1958 (same year as the Palafox Drive-in photo). Which if true would have the Ranch and the Palafox operating simultaneously even though both were in the same vicinity.

Okay the final word on the drive-ins.

The drive-in at Fairfield and Davis was the Palm Drive-In. It operated from either 1953 or 54 until Hurricane Flossy put it out of business in 56.

The Palafox Drive-In operated from 1952 or 53 until 1962.

And the Ranch Drive-In opened in 1955 and lasted until the 70's.

So in 1955 and 1956, we had three different drive-in theaters
in close proximity all open at the same time.

By the way, the Rex Theater was opened before WW2 in 1938.

Thank you for that Bob. I will sleep better tonight. I don't remember the Palm drive-in at all.

You're very welcome, bluemoon. I didn't remember either the Palm or the Palafox until all this. And that's even though I lived here when both were still operating.

Wasn't there a drive-in on the west side...?

I remember Navy Point Theatre....went there a lot in the early 70's.

Wasn't there one at the soccer fields on 29 as well?

livinlarge wrote:Wasn't there one at the soccer fields on 29 as well?

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Hello GUNZ. Tired of saving lives today...?

I was referring only to the three which were all close to Palafox and Fairfield.

The one on 29 at the soccer field was the Showtown Drive-In

Another on 29 north of Ensley was the Holiday Drive-In

There were two on Navy Blvd. The Twin-Air Drive-In and the Warrington Drive-In (they were across the street from each other but I imagine operated at different times with the Warrington being earlier).

There was also this one on Hgwy 90 but I don't know exactly where...

http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/fltdri8

So during the drive-in era for Pensacola (from WW2 to the 70's), we had a total of eight drive-ins in our area.

Next up: the history of Pensacola bowling alleys. But I'm too wore out to do that one now too. lol

By the way, it's no coincidence that a new invention was coming out at the same time the drive-in theaters were going away.

William wrote:

livinlarge wrote:Wasn't there one at the soccer fields on 29 as well?

.............................

Hello GUNZ. Tired of saving lives today...?

Dang it! lol hey man, yep I got a day off

Good to see ya Mr Gunz. Take care

Hallmarkgrad1 wrote:Good to see ya Mr Gunz. Take care

You too man. I've been busy with spring stuff around here and haven't been able to run my jib for awhile. I hope all is good with you

The closest operating drive-in to us is in Dothan.
Interestingly, it first opened in 2006 and has four screens.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11219

There are about eight other drive-ins still operating in Alabama but those are all above Montgomery. There is only one in Mississippi. And none in Lousiana.
There are seven in Florida with the closest to us being in Ocala.

The only thing left standing from the drive-in era in Pensacola is the Ranch Drive-In sign on Pace Blvd (now being used by an insurance agency).




The Ranch screen had a big sign on the back of it (seen from Pace Blvd) depicting a bucking bronco with rider on it.

Here's a 1965 aerial photo showing the Twin-Air Drive-in in 1965.
In this photo you can also see the Warrington Drive-In across Navy Blvd from the Twin-Air...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58299528@N05/5394798179/in/photostream/lightbox/

And here's another 1965 photo showing the Warrington Drive-In...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58299528@N05/5395394582/lightbox/

Assuming those dates are correct, then both drive-ins were operating at the same time.

If you look at the Twin air photo you can see it sat a little off the road. Look at today's map and you can see where Clark sand made a big pit out of it. For many years you could still see part of it.
The ramps at the Warrington drive in also lasted for years and years. They were finally obliterated when they built the Pines Apartments..

LOL You can see my house in the Warrington photo.

livinlarge wrote:

William wrote:

livinlarge wrote:Wasn't there one at the soccer fields on 29 as well?

.............................

Hello GUNZ. Tired of saving lives today...?

Dang it! lol hey man, yep I got a day off

...........................

Cool....how ya been brother...? No see long time.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Well it wasn't around in Dec 76 because I loved drive ins and went to the "soccer field" theatre often with my kids.  I miss them things they were a great place to go have fun.  Sigh.

It has been verified that the drive in was called the Palm Drive In. It was destroyed in the mid 50s by a storm and was never rebuilt.