Delmar
Drive-In
Bi-State Blvd. (US 13/business), Delmar, Del.
capacity: 700-750 cars
years of operation: 1950-85
currently: reportedly sold and the screen torn
down
Standing on the Yankee side of
this town that straddles the Delaware-Maryland line, this was the
lone drive-in serving the nearby Salisbury, Md. area for nearly
two decades. It was all X-rated throughout the '80s. In the late
'90s it underwent a restoration project that unfortunately fell
through due to lack of funds.
"Greetings
from Salisbury, MD, home of the Bowl Drive-In, and nearby Delmar
Drive-In. Sad to say that the screen at Delmar is now completely
demolished. The previous owner did indeed attempt to restore
the theater, but, unfortunately, the screen was mainly asbestos,
and the cost of removal of old pieces is astronomical. As
of two weeks ago, the snack bar/projection house was still
standing, as well as the ticket booth/entrance.
"I don't know much of the history. I can only tell you
what other friends have told me. (It was x-rated by the
time I was even aware it existed...) At one point, there
used to be a playground, complete with swingset, located at the
base of the screen (viewing side), and the price was $1.00 per
carload. The sound system was pole-mounted speakers which
were stored in the base of the screen in the off-season. If
you take a look at the aerial photo, you notice a straight line
that runs in back of the theater grounds. It's a railroad
track. If you were adventurous to find the service road
along side the track, you could more or less view the movie from
the tracks, making up the dialogue in the process. I'm glad
someone was able to get photos before it's gone. Sorry to
say, I don't know what the future is for the place, but with a
few prayers and some luck, it will be kept, and eventually
restored." -- J. Jones
Click here to see a 1992 aerial photo of the drive-in.
Above photos taken in April 1998. Apologies for the glare in some
photos.
The photos below were taken in the
early '90s, before the restoration effort. Thanks to Tony for
sending them.
Got some additional information, or some pictures or stories about this drive-in you'd like to share? Email me -- thanks!
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