|
Colonial Drive-In
Forest Drive at Solomons Island Rd., Annapolis,
Md.
capacity: 700 cars
years of operation: 1955-67
currently: Forest Plaza shopping center
Part of the Baltimore-based Durkee chain.
Features included outdoor patio seating, a lighted playground with seats
and speakers next to it for the parents, and a screen whose advertised size
was over 7000 square feet. Debut feature was Pete Kelly's Blues
starring Jack Webb. Durkee also operated most if not all of Annapolis' indoor
houses -- the Circle, Capitol and Playhouse. The shopping center that replaced
the drive-in included a new indoor theatre, also called the Colonial; it
is now the Annapolis Cinema Grill.
"[In the late '50s] we went to the Colonial for Easter
sunrise services. My parents would pack us into the car with our Easter baskets,
my sisters would still be in their PJ's." -- Bill Hunt
Click here to see an aerial photo, circa 1957, of the drive-in and surrounding Parole area. An old racetrack is shown where the Parole Shopping Center would be built later, across from the drive-in. Courtesy of the Maryland State Archives.
Got some data or a correction, or some memories about this drive-in you'd like to share? Email me -- thanks!
|
