Ford-Wyoming_Drive-In

Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

Drive-in theater in Dearborn, Michigan, United States

Ford-Wyoming Drive-In is a drive-in theater located in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1950, it features five screens. The property previously had nine, leading it to be declared the largest drive-in theater in the world.

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Audience in parking lot

History

Clark Enterprises built the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in 1950. The theater opened for business on May 19 of that year, with a double-bill of The Man from Colorado and Road to Rio as its first attraction.[2] Upon opening, the drive-in had the capacity for 750 cars.[3]

Wayne Amusements purchased the drive-in in 1981 and expanded it by continuing to add screens.[4] At its peak, the Ford-Wyoming had nine screens and a capacity of over 3,000 cars, leading it to become the largest drive-in theater in the world.[2][3]

In 2006, the owners sold the land on which the sixth through ninth screens were located.[5] This decision was made due to a decline in population of the Detroit area.[6] The five screens have remained operational since this downsizing.[6] This has reduced the overall capacity to 2,500 cars. It is one of nine remaining drive-in theaters in the state of Michigan, and the only one in Metro Detroit.[1] As of 2019, the theater is owned by Charles Shafer.[6]

References

  1. [1]
    "Michigan was once home to the world's largest drive-in movie theater Published: Jun. 20, 2017, 12:13 p.m." MLive. June 20, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Dearborn's Beloved Ford-Wyoming Drive-In Theatre Earns National Recognition". Corp Magazine. August 6, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  3. [3]
    Matt Forster (2009). Backroads & Byways of Michigan: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions. The Countryman Press. p. 23.
  4. [4]
    Stuart Galbraith IV (2001). Motor City Marquees: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference to Motion Picture Theaters in the Detroit Area. McFarland Incorporated. p. 162.
  5. [5]
    Brian Butko, Sarah Butko (2007). Roadside Attractions: Cool Cafés, Souvenir Stands, Route 66 Relics, & Other Road Trip Fun. Stackpole Books. p. 14.
  6. [6]
    Jerilyn Jordan (June 12, 2019). "Nearly 70 years later and Dearborn's Ford-Wyoming Drive-in is still the star of the show". Metro Times. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
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