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Family Drive-In Theatre

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1956. 5890 Valley Pike
  • (Photograph by D Hughes)
  • (Photograph by D Hughes)

The era of the automobile not only changed how people lived and worked but also created new opportunities for entertainment. The Family Drive-In Theatre is one of the few survivors of the many drive-ins that dotted the nation in the mid-twentieth century. This well-preserved complex features streamlined forms and the pastel colors that evoke the post–World War II era. The glass ticket booth is topped by an oversized shed roof supported by slim metal poles. The snack bar, with projection room above, features a stainless steel interior, counters, and large plate-glass windows. The drive-in is the most intact example of its type in the lower Shenandoah Valley.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Anne Carter Lee
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Data

What's Nearby

Old Stephens City High School
George Cabbage House
Newtown History Center (The Tavern)
Trinity Lutheran Church
House

Citation

Anne Carter Lee, "Family Drive-In Theatre", [Stephens City, Virginia], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-02-FR38.

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