South Main Drive-In Theater At 11510 South Main St.

[carol802]

You are absolutely correct in your location and description. I hope we can lay that confusion to rest.

I'll confess, I was always jealous of those living in the houses across the back of the theater and wondered what you did to hear the sound clearly. I recall the speakers around the sitting area at the concession stand were not that loud. I hope the bouncing blue VW with the fogged up windows (often near the back) row did not distract you. My steady girl (now wife of 41 years) frequented the theather in the mid sixties. We actually did see parts of the movies sometimes...har har.

My first disappointed in life was at the South Main back in the fifties. They had a kiddie train in front of the theather entrance with a sign saying Disney characters could be seen inside the tunnel. Heck, I was only 5 or so and was expecting live characters. The pictures of Mickey Mouse painted on the inside of the tunnel wall did not impress me at all.

If anyone runs across good aerial photos of this south main area up through Playland, please post info.

[carol802]

My siblings & I would walk up Stella Link to the entrance & they would let us in for free. Amazing what we used to could do as children back then. We would walk to the back rows & turn the speakers up all the way. Alot depended on the direction of the wind but we are talking backyard, 2 lane road & wide back end of the drive-in.

I loved Playland park. That rollercoaster was great! And the pony rides at KiddieLand.

[RhinoVP]

Good memories here!

When I was little we lived in Townwood for a few years, and went here almost every weekend. It wasn't such a big deal back then, it was either there or Meyerland if you wanted to see a show. My parents not wanting to put up with a squirmy kid in a theater, normaly choose the drive-in.

As we were driving in, I would hide under a quilt in the back the old Ford station wagon we had. I never stayed well hidden, I know he saw me several times but never seemed to care.

The last movie I remember actually watching was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, but know we went to see countless others. I was always too busy playing

with the neighbors kids, who we would often go to the show with.

BTW- There is still a drive-in open! It's just a few miles south of Dallas on I45, I've passed by it many times.

Regards,

Rhino

[4PROP]

Good memories here!

When I was little we lived in Townwood for a few years, and went here almost every weekend. It wasn't such a big deal back then, it was either there or Meyerland if you wanted to see a show. My parents not wanting to put up with a squirmy kid in a theater, normaly choose the drive-in.

As we were driving in, I would hide under a quilt in the back the old Ford station wagon we had. I never stayed well hidden, I know he saw me several times but never seemed to care.

The last movie I remember actually watching was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, but know we went to see countless others. I was always too busy playing

with the neighbors kids, who we would often go to the show with.

BTW- There is still a drive-in open! It's just a few miles south of Dallas on I45, I've passed by it many times.

Regards,

Rhino

FYI; We have one in Tomball.

http://www.theshowboatdrivein.com/

[RhinoVP]

DOOHH!

I'm taking the kids to see Bolt Friday night, now! Not a one of them has any idea what a drive-in even is, this will be too cool.

Thanks for the tip.

How long has it been there?

[4PROP]

My siblings & I would walk up Stella Link to the entrance & they would let us in for free. Amazing what we used to could do as children back then. We would walk to the back rows & turn the speakers up all the way. Alot depended on the direction of the wind but we are talking backyard, 2 lane road & wide back end of the drive-in.

I loved Playland park. That rollercoaster was great! And the pony rides at KiddieLand.

Hey Carol802,

I think I can see your house from here:

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3380

[Subdude]

Hey Carol802,

I think I can see your house from here:

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3380

That is a cool picture. You can see where Old Main Street intersects on the right. What is the structure immediately to the west of the theater?

[carol802]

Oh that is a great map site!! Thanks so much.

If you zoom in on the last residential street before Willowbend (Woodhaven) you'll see a car in the back driveway of the 7th house from down from Stella Link and our house was the 8th. We moved in August of 1958.

The complex to the west side of the drive-in was an industrial warehouse & self storage warehouse type of place (best I remember) and south-west was the old mansion-casino.

Does anyone know if that place was built to be a casino or was an older home redone?

I saved that map website & I'm going surfing! Thanks again.

[e streeter]

a very cool link, thanks. i looked up my parent's house in post oak manor and it was an empty lot in 1957. over the years you see less house and more trees.

[carol802]

In the 1957 photos I can see where the land for 610 (crossing Stella Link) is vacant. If you look north past the drive-in and up Stella Link you will see where W. Belfort cut through and (I think) Corpus Christi Cath church & school. That area was pretty vacant & I remember it that way when riding my bike to school.

When you go further north you will see the circle drive for Shearn Elementary and one row of houses facing the school. Behind them you will see the vacant 610 land. When they started mounding the foundation for the overpass we had the best times on our bikes.

[carol802]

Anyone notice the photo website is calling the area Fort Bend,TX? What's up with that?

[JHC]

Hey Carol802,

I think I can see your house from here:

http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3380

Wow. This site is fascinating. I spent almost entire day yesterday studying the old aerials of Houston and then comparing them to more recent ones. For an old native Houstonian like me who has been away for well over forty years now, this site opens up some incredible opportunities.

I'm very happy that someone started up this topic, because I'm really enjoying the posts here. I lived on O'Meara Street in Westwood from 1958 to 1964 before my family moved to Spring Branch and then on to Central Texas in 1967 (I started Kindergarten at Shearn Elementary in 1959 when the school itself was probably only five years old). I remember seeing "The Longest Day" at the South Main Drive In way back in the early 1960's. I also remember being eaten alive by mosquitoes during such excursions!

Thank you so very much for sharing this link!

[nm5k]

That is a cool picture. You can see where Old Main Street intersects on the right. What is the structure immediately to the west of the theater?

That's Brochsteins I'm pretty sure. I don't know how long they have been at that location,

but they have been around since 1935 according to their website.

I vaguely remember a girl at school who I think her dad owned that company.

That was at Johnston Jr. High about 1970 or so.. Actually a friend of mine knew

her a lot better than I did.. We once rode by there on our bikes one day and

he mentioned that her dad owned the place.

http://www.brochsteins.com/

If you look at more recent pictures, you will notice a mass of buildings across

from the old gambling joint on Old Main. That is pro-mark, the drum stick people..

They have been around quite a while. I remember I often used pro-mark drumsticks

when I was in the band at Johnston.. That was 30+ years ago..

A lot of new companies seem to be springing up around there. One on top of the old

gambling joint site.

[4PROP]

DOOHH!

I'm taking the kids to see Bolt Friday night, now! Not a one of them has any idea what a drive-in even is, this will be too cool.

Thanks for the tip.

How long has it been there?

RhinoVP,

Did you ever make it to the Showboat drive in movie? I know it was pretty cold the Friday after you posted this reply. If you have, please share your experience with us and in particular how your kids liked (or didn't like) it.

[RhinoVP]

RhinoVP,

Did you ever make it to the Showboat drive in movie? I know it was pretty cold the Friday after you posted this reply. If you have, please share your experience with us and in particular how your kids liked (or didn't like) it.

We never went out there. The kids thought the whole idea just sounded stupid, and wanted nothing to do with it!

Sit in the car........ Watch a movie.........IN THE CAR!

We have theaters now you know!

The wife and I are going to one day, but it won't be with the kids.

[Native Son]

There was also one at Holmes Road @ S. Main/Hiram Clarke. It is now a motorhome park.

man, shoot me back to any Monday night when I was at Madison High School...dollar night at the McClendon Triple Drive In

[RhinoVP]

There was also one at Holmes Road @ S. Main/Hiram Clarke. It is now a motorhome park.

Another DOOOOHH!!

I thought that was the one we were talking about?!?!

I didn't realize there were two, so close together. They were just a couple of blocks apart.

[houstonmacbro]

Another DOOOOHH!!

I thought that was the one we were talking about?!?!

I didn't realize there were two, so close together. They were just a couple of blocks apart.

I did too at first until I read the 1st description again closely. In fact, I cannot picture where that was and might have to do a drive-by to jar my memory.

[carol802]

I did too at first until I read the 1st description again closely. In fact, I cannot picture where that was and might have to do a drive-by to jar my memory.

There's a post above saying "carol, I think I can see your house" (and you can) and it has the best aerial shot of the drive-in area in the late 50's.

Guess you have to be a baby boomer to remember the S.Main at it's peak. Just the concept of the drive-in seems alien to todays kids (anyone under 35). I don't know that I would be going to one today. I don't even go to the indoor cinemas anymore with the luxury of home use dvds and large screen hd tvs, remotes with pause (and no lines at my bathroom or snackbar)!! Good question for an anthropologist. Did our culture kill the drive-ins or did the demise of the drive-ins change the culture?

The S. Main Drive-in (if memory correct) was the first drive-in in Texas and was built in 1942(?). I'm fuzzy and am cheating at not looking it back up this moment but I will. At the time it (and the gambling casino, that I imagined was Tara) were out in the middle of nowhere between true Houston and Sugarland. Not sure when the pie shaped 9 hole golf course bordered by what would become the extension of W. Belfort, S. Main (entrance) and Stella Link was developed or when it disappeared.(I had thought the "links" were named after some woman named Stella till a new found website friend told me about the old railway stops). The golf course was there when I moved to the area at 5 and was still there when I moved in 71.

It was on it's way out as a mainstream family drive-in by the early-mid 70's and was going the way of the Red Bluff in Pasadena and was showing soft porn (by today's standard there wasn't anything different than you would see in a pushing the limit R movie today). They put up a tall steel fence about that time but it couldn't overcome my younger brother's ability to look out the upstairs back window. I don't know when they tore it down but it was a visual concept shock to me to see the industrial park there.

[RhinoVP]

How bad can one persons memory be?

I found out earlier today from my mother, that most of the drive-in memories I have were actualy the Sharpstown drive-in?!?

Even though we lived right around the corner from both of these, back in the early 70's.

Anyone remember a Sharpstown drive-in?

BTW- HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

[Fringe]

How bad can one persons memory be?

I found out earlier today from my mother, that most of the drive-in memories I have were actualy the Sharpstown drive-in?!?

Even though we lived right around the corner from both of these, back in the early 70's.

Anyone remember a Sharpstown drive-in?

Hillcroft and Bellaire. It was very similiar to the South Main drive-in.

[carol802]

Hillcroft and Bellaire. It was very similiar to the South Main drive-in.

The Sharpstown was much younger and nicer than the S.Main. I often went to the Sharps rather than the S.M. because things seemed a little more high tech and cleaner. They also had a huge snack bar and playground.

[Croberts]

The Sharpstown was much younger and nicer than the S.Main. I often went to the Sharps rather than the S.M. because things seemed a little more high tech and cleaner. They also had a huge snack bar and playground.

When we went to see movies that were boring to children, I remember watching the red blinking SAGE department store sign on Hillcroft. I also remember it being nicer in the snack bar and enjoying the playground.

[artistpro]

I started at Shearn in 1958. Yep, those skeeters could eat you up. Does anyone remember using PICS?

PICS = Spiral shaped anti-mosquito repellent? I know what went wrong with me...it was running around behind those fogging machines they used to drive up & down the drive-in thearter rows. All that white smoke did me in.

[NenaE]

Croberts, I laughed when I read your post about the blinking Sage sign. I was always mesmerized by the neon signs I grew up with...always wondered how those arrow signs (and similar ones) moved...of course, it was an optical illusion.

And I remember those nasty coil mosquito repellents. Ours were placed in the back window of the car.

[Vertigo58]

If anyone could show at least ONE photo of this Drive-In theater???

I guess I am a tad younger cause the only drive in theater I remember that far out was the old McClendon Triple Theater which we teens used to go to around 1974 to 1981? The McClendon has been discussed here on Haif a while back plsu the neato commercials they used to show in intermission. Never can forget 1$ dollar Monday nights. Just one buck got you in or if you were daring FREE if you crammed in the truck of the car.

[WillowBend56]

I saw many a Disney movie at the South Main Drive-in between 1956 and 1960.

We lived not far away off Willowbend.

I also recall the kiddie train ride there and the mosquito fogger machines.

[artistpro]

I started at Shearn in 1958. Yep, those skeeters could eat you up. Does anyone remember using PICS?

Good grief, Carol I was at Shearn in 1957...I exchanged disks with a girl named carol...do you remember a Mrs. Collins teaching? I kid you not, the girl I remembered (Carol M.) was shot dead in a bar about forty years :-( I found out way late in life. sorry to have to blurt out this stuff called nostalgia.

[plumber2]

When we went to see movies that were boring to children, I remember watching the red blinking SAGE department store sign on Hillcroft. I also remember it being nicer in the snack bar and enjoying the playground.

Sage on Hillcroft? Globe was on Hillcroft across from the drive-in. Sage was on Beechnut across the freeway from Meyerland Plaza. Of course, we were just children.

[JHC]

Good grief, Carol I was at Shearn in 1957...I exchanged disks with a girl named carol...do you remember a Mrs. Collins teaching? I kid you not, the girl I remembered (Carol M.) was shot dead in a bar about forty years :-( I found out way late in life. sorry to have to blurt out this stuff called nostalgia.

So sorry to butt in here, but I couldn't help noticing your reference to Ms. Collins at Shearn Elementary School. I'm certain that I do remember her. I attended Shearn from 1959 to 1964 with Ms. Montgomery (Kindergarten), Ms. Scarcella (formerly Ms. Wright) for first grade, Ms. Grimm (Second), Ms. Pemberton (Third) and Ms. Kelly (Fourth). While Ms. Collins was never my teacher, I can mentally picture her to this day for one very compelling reason -- her reaction to the Kennedy Assassination. Interestingly, the school did not announce the President's assassination to us that Friday back in 1963. What is remarkable, however, is that I remember the principal, Ms. Jorgensen, calling my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Kelly out into the hallway in the afternoon. The classroom door was open and I, along with my classmates, could observe what was obviously an intense discussion between Ms. Jorgensen, Ms. Kelly and Ms. Collins -- and that Ms. Collins was crying almost uncontrollably. When Ms. Kelly returned to the classroom, she looked like she'd had the wind knocked out of her. There was all manner of speculation amongst us youngsters as to what could have caused Ms. Collins to cry like that. Of course, sadly, we all learned the reason soon enough.

I enjoyed your post, because I've thought of Shearn so many times over the years -- and all of those wonderful teachers (albeit I didn't think they were so very wonderful back then). Again, I'm sorry to intrude here, but if you do know what became of some of the teachers we had at Shearn back then, I'd love to hear about it. Westwood was a wonderful place to be a child back in the late fifties and early sixties; I miss that time and place so very much now. And, thank you for <inadvertently> rekindling a childhood memory.