66 Drive-In facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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66 Drive-In
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | 17231 Old 66 Blvd., Carthage, Missouri |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1949 |
| Built by | Ozark Engineering Co. |
| Architectural style | Drive-In Theater, Art Deco / Streamline Moderne (ticket booth) |
| MPS | U.S. Route 66 in Missouri |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000182 |
| Added to NRHP | April 2, 2003 |
The 66 Drive-In is a special outdoor movie theater. It is located on U.S. Route 66 in Carthage, Missouri. This theater is a historic place because it has been around for a long time.
It first opened its doors on September 22, 1949. This was before most people had televisions at home.
How Drive-Ins Worked
When the 66 Drive-In opened, car radios were not common. Also, early radios used old technology. They needed a lot of power. So, cars did not have good sound systems for movies.
To solve this, the drive-in used poles. These poles had speakers on them. You would park your car next to a pole. Then, you could hear the movie through the speaker. The theater is about 9 acres big.
Changes Over Time
In the 1950s, televisions became very popular. Movie studios wanted to make their movies different. They started using a new widescreen format. This made movies look bigger and wider.
The 66 Drive-In changed its screen after 1953. This allowed it to show the new widescreen movies. A playground was also added for kids. This happened during the time when many babies were being born, called the "baby boom."
Closing and Reopening
The 66 Drive-In closed down in 1985. But it was not gone forever! It was fixed up and opened again in 1998.
Today, you can still watch movies there. They usually show two movies on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The old speakers on poles are gone now. But you can still see the poles where they used to be.
Drive-In in Pop Culture
The 66 Drive-In is so famous that it even inspired a movie! A drive-in theater like it appears in the Pixar film Cars. This fictional drive-in shows funny versions of other Pixar movies. It has a similar screen, pole speakers, and cool neon signs.
