The
drive-in movie theater was at one time a staple of American life.
Being able to enjoy a film on a large outdoor screen from the luxury
of the inside of your car was a cherished memory for so many over
several decades. Even though in 2020 there are only approximately
321 remaining there are still some classic drive-in theaters left in
the country. On Cape Cod for so long the Wellfleet Drive-In was the
last remaining vestige of a bygone era. However that changed in the
summer of 2020 when the former Yarmouth Drive-In was brought back to
life more than three decades after initially closing.
The
story of the drive-in is long and storied and intertwined with the
Cape. Though there were drive-ins of a sort as far back as the
1910’s the first true, patented drive-in theater debuted on June 6,
1933. The first proper drive-in theater was the brainchild of
Richard Hollingshead. He took the existing idea of watching silent
films outdoors on screens and added the ability for the wildly
popular automobile to become a part of it. Hollingshead opened his
creation in Camden, New Jersey with a showing of the British comedy
Wives Beware. Tickets cost 25 cents per person and also 25
cents per vehicle. The Camden Drive-In had a capacity of 400 cars
and 600 people attended that first night’s showing.
 |
| The screen at the Camden Drive-In (Cinema Treasures.org) |
His
investment of $30,000 ($595,000 in 2020) spawned a new industry that
would sweep the nation. Though primitive in the beginning, including
not having the individual speakers for cars, the drive-in slowly
began to catch on. In January 1938 plans were discussed for a
potential drive-in near the Barnstable Airport in Hyannis. These
discussions were brief as the potential of such an attraction was not
seen as being an asset to the Cape.
By
the end of the 1930’s there were 18 drive-ins located in America.
These included four in Massachusetts in Weymouth, Lynn, Shrewsbury,
and Methuen. In 1948 that number had leaped to 820 total theaters.
It was around this time that the drive-in was finally seen as a
worthwhile investment for Cape Cod.
In
May 1949 building contractor Louis Segrini of Mansfield,
Massachusetts was granted a permit to build the first drive-in on
Cape Cod. This drive-in would be far more than a place to watch
movies in your car though. The 70 acre plot located on Hokum Rock
Road in Dennis, near Rt. 134, was at the time the largest drive-in in
New England. It had a capacity of 1,000 cars and would also become
the first fly-in theater. This distinction came from the fact that
small airplanes and helicopters could land on a strip near the back
end of the grounds and taxi their way to spots to watch the movies
from inside the plane. In addition to being the largest theater and
a fly-in theater the Dennis Drive-In included a dance pavilion,
bottle warming service for young mothers, refreshment stands, and
even 20 nearby cottages to rent.
 |
| The Dennis Drive-In, 1949 (Cinema Treasures.org) |
Opening
night was Saturday July 16, 1949. The theater played the color film
Barkleys of Broadway featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It
was a near sellout close to 1,000 cars. Rather than rest on his
laurels Segrini parlayed the success of the Dennis Drive-In to a
second theater planned for near the Mashpee Rotary in 1950. These
plans never materialized. Cape Cod had to wait six years for a
second drive-in to open.
It
was in the 1950’s that the drive-in hit its apex as an
entertainment attraction. This was the case on Cape Cod as well.
Herman Rifkin opened the Cod Drive-In in the Teaticket section of
Falmouth in 1955. This was followed quickly by the Hyannis Drive-In
on Rt. 132. The Yarmouth Drive-In on Rt. 28 followed in 1956 and
finally the Wellfleet Drive-In was built on Rt. 6 in 1957. This
brought the total to five drive-ins on Cape Cod. In 1958 the total
number of theaters in the United States hit its high of 4,063.
The
drive-in had continued success throughout the 1960’s and into the
1970’s. However the tide slowly began to turn. An increase in
land values, the advent of VCR’s, and the fact that drive-in shows
had to begin late with summer sunset times started to eat into
business. By 1980 there were just over 2,000 drive-ins left. The
1980’s saw the virtual end of the industry on Cape Cod.
It
began in 1980 when the Cod Drive-In closed. The land just off of Rt.
28 was owned for years by the Augusta Family who own the abutting
Falmouth Lumber. In the spring of 2003 a 23.7-acre parcel of the
former drive-in land was purchased by the Town of Falmouth. As of
2020 though nothing has been done with that property.
Next
to close was the Dennis Drive-In in 1984. The property was to be
turned into a housing subdivision however as of 2020 much of the
property remains overgrown. Upon walking over the former grounds one
can find chunks of asphalt, concrete, former speaker stands, and wire
littered about.
 |
| The Wellfleet Drive-In, for decades the last one standing until 2020. (Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism) |
The
Yarmouth Drive-In initially closed in 1985. Throughout the years
many ideas were bandied about as to what should become of the 22-acre
site. A river walk consisting of trails and boardwalks leading along
Parker’s River out to Seagull Beach had potential yet never
materialized. In July 2020 it was resurrected by Innovation Arts &
Entertainment. The new Yarmouth Drive-In has been updated for the
21st century with bright LED screens making daytime movies
possible.
In
1987 the Hyannis Drive-In became the fourth to close on the Cape in
seven years. Though religious services took place on the grounds for
a short time afterwards the property would eventually become home to
Stop & Shop. It was also in 1987 where the total number of
drive-ins dipped below 1,000 nationwide.
The
Wellfleet Drive-In for more than thirty years stood tall as the last
beacon of a bygone era. It became a popular summer destination for
those wishing for a slice of 1950’s nostalgia in a 21st
century world. As of 2020 it remains a perfect family night out
during the summer.
The
drive-in theatre for a time was the place to see new movies. It
became as much a part of pop culture of a bygone generation as the
movies themselves did. Though their numbers massively dwindled as
the decades passed the drive-in is not finished yet. In a time where
social distancing is the new normal there is a potential for a
comeback of some of these beloved old school icons.
So
what became of Richard Hollingshead’s original Camden Drive-In?
Partially due to high movie rental costs and lower than expected
crowds Hollingshead sold his theater less than three years after
opening it to a man who ‘moved’ the business to Union, New
Jersey. It did not reopen. The final insult came when
Hollingshead’s company was sued in 1950 and lost his patent on some
of the designs of the drive-in, the large rush of new theaters came
shortly thereafter.
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My first eBook in 10 years, In Their Footsteps, featuring the interesting stories of Cape Cod's history, is on sale at Amazon.com.
View my previous blog posts: In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Wellfleet Marconi Wireless Station
In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Samuel de Champlain and Port Fortune
Photo Prints available here: Smug Mug.com
Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com
In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Samuel de Champlain and Port Fortune
Photo Prints available here: Smug Mug.com
Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com
. The view is amazing from the parking area as it is a good thirty feet above the beach. I had hoped to be able to catch a view of Curtis Island Lighthouse but unfortunately from Laite Beach it is impossible to see since it resides on the other side of the small island and is obscured by trees. 
by the Boston Opera Company.
Inn, known as Maine’s ‘Castle by the Sea.’ It is named for an alleged wondrous 16th century city which resided on the banks of the Penobscot River. The stories of this city were supposedly told by European explorers after they returned home. The castle itself was built in 1886 for Joseph Sterns who used money he had amassed by inventing a duplex telegraphy system in the 1860’s. The design was the brainchild of famed New York City architect Arthur Bates Jennings. The home became a Bed & Breakfast in 1984.
meant that I was still able to clearly make out homes and buildings in the surrounding area below; this made for a series of amazing photos.
