The fact that all of the neon lamp sections are not broken, and the structures have not been plastered in graffiti and looted clean, gives me hope for humanity.
Seeing this kind of video is bitter-sweet. I grew up in the 60s-70s when drive-ins were in play everywhere and was a big part of my childhood , even into the early 80s. Seeing one in this condition but eerily preserved in some ways is trippy. Great job on the video and keep pushin on!
Well done! You got a sub out of that video. Many years ago when I worked on a farm, we farmed the land behind our local drive in. They had already gone to audio on the radio, so we would simply pull up and watch the movie on our tractors listening to our radio for audio.
I just came upon your channel, and man, oh man, did this bring back some groovy memories. Playing on the playground equipment, sitting outside the car as children with a parent. As we got older, we went with car loads of friends or on a date. I didn't even know these Drive Ins existed any more, abandoned or not? This was a really cool video. Thank you so much for sharing!!❤
The second one swing,is you grab on to the grip bars and you grip it with your hands and just hang on to it and spin around like a swing grabber... pretty fun,I remember those,and I'm 60 now.like your videos!!!
Thanks for the info my friend! Going to a movie was such a treat in those days. The address is 1613 S Dallas Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331. Haven't had a chance to go back by since making this video.
I think that it would be a problem with outdated building codes. This would require a lot of upgrades, on top of restoring the fire damaged areas. Also, they may have been un, or under insured, if they were in financial trouble. There is a dive-in between Ocala and Belleview Florida on Highway 441. It was closed fr a couple years. The man who bought it, upgraded to a digital projector, then added several smaller screens, with new projectors. I was give a tour of the projection booths, because I spent a year running about 16 hours of 16 mm film a day at an Army AFRTS TV station, in the mid '70s.
That's really cool! Between running the projector in elementary school and an episode of Columbo that revolved around film I have had a fascination with that type of media.
@@theoutseers I quickly learned to reload a broken film, and splice it while it was running. I was 21 years old. I had tested out of the Army's three year Broadcast Engineering school. I repaired my school's A/V equipment in the late '60s. We had about a half dozen 16mm projectors, plus a very old one that had been retired that was kept in the Electronics classroom. It was off the books, as too old to maintain so we didn't have to share it. My first exposure to video tape was on a Sony 1/2" reel to reel B&W industrial machine. We used it to tape delay some Educational TV programs. I should still have a 35mm test pattern slide from that TV station. It was to be shut down after I was discharged, and the equipment sent to other locations as spare equipment.
I was born in Lamesa, lived there until the mid 60's. The famous food was amazing, it got so popular they would let people in just to buy the food to go. That's what made my mom and dad begin cooking Mexican food trying to recreate the Chihuahua. Jock Mahoney (Tarzan) came there for a personal appearance, we got his autograph! Lots of good memories there.
I grew up in this town and I used to go to this theater all the time when i was a kid. seeing the old play ground brought back so many memories. the last movie I ever saw here was toy story 3
If I had the cash, i'd re-open that place and bring her into the 21st century. The Coyote in Ft. Worth has proven people will go to a Drive-In with great picture/sound, excellent food and beverages to boot..
There is one remaining drive in still in use in Carthage Missouri. The "66" drive in. There were 3 drive in in the Joplin. Missouri area. Sadly they are gone.
No, the last one in Webb City Missouri. It ran for a while. The poles, speakers where replaced with your radio in the car. I did get to take my 2 son's to experience it. They are 34 & 38 now. It was torn down to make way for Walmart.
Oh dear. Perhaps you can contact the owner of that place if they'd like for restorers on TH-cam to band together to ressurrect it or if they'd like to sell it to someone else or sell the playground equipment to others and give the film reels away to other drive-ins or have drive-in film-reel uploaders on this site to upload whatever film reels are there. Either way, none of this should go to waste.
I live in Houston but visited the Sky Vu several times. They were famous for their chihuahua sandwich, which was surprisingly good. I believe the owner's name is Sam Kirkland, who was a very nice man.
How long ago was this shot? My film collecting senses were going nuts! There might be some valuable film prints there. Who owns the property? I have 3 theaters and a drive-in at my house. All film projection. Film is making a comeback. I'd be willing to talk to the owners if they'd consider renting. Hey, a little duct tape and it'd be good as new! (Just kidding about the duct tape for the humorless.) FYI, the small reels in the shipping cans are 2000' reels. That's how they came from the distributer. The "Ginormus" reels are 12,000' reels. The individual reels were spliced end to end onto these reels for projection. The projector on the floor is a Century 35mm and is just the projection head. The soundhead is missing as well as the pedestal, lamp house, and film transport. I rebuild these for my company. This could be reopened for a fraction of the price of building new. THe biggest expense is the land. It has to be graded for water runoff..
With the Retro Decade Revival Project, Drive-In Theatres like this will be restored and reopened to the public exactly the way it was when it was first built.
Where is this property at, I'd like to find it and actually would buy it and put it back in business, I'm sure people would love to have a drive in, I'm from Texas.
I hated those, burnt the shit out of my legs. Jensen why I never went down then things. I always went for the swings and still do today when I’m at a place that has playground equipment.
I don't know much about movie film no, but that sitting out in the baking hot sun, cannot be doing any good for it, in fact, old film, if it's left in the sun like that, will eventually turn clear and you will lose the picture that was once recorded onto it. god! why would they do that with that kind of thing.
Makesme sick at how much stuff is wasted that could be salvaged and given or sold to collectors. I def would of took some stuff , all its doing there is decaying waiting to be damaged more by vandals.
I have wrestled with that thought since last year. Have even considered going back to see what's left now. Your right it is most definitely being wasted.
@@theoutseers exactly it drives me nuts when i see Urbex channels not taking anything i get there is a rule or code amongst explorers but if you know its just gunna go to waste or become destroyed by vandals why not save the stuff or call someone to pick stuff up to donate it….
@@theoutseers -sorry couldnt Resist great video anyways think its sad to see all them vintage Drive/Ins Rot Away Drenched in CobWebs CareLess Neglect & Dust & have I got a Notable Drive/in Tale -so I went w/ Friends Every WeeKEnd to the Local Edge-of-town Drive/In -Here -in my SouthEastern IdaHo town until to my Utter Disappointment & Shell Shocked Dismay the Once (Stable Minded) Owner & ""Proudly Recovered AlcoHolic"" -Half Holding Desperately onto the Wagon & Slumping Over the Edge & w/ One more Sudden Bump in the Road its Off the Wagon Mr Drive/in's Sobriety Go's) *"& God Grant me the Power to Accept* *the things I cannot change* *& the Wisdom to Know the Difference"* & so -mr -Make-mine-a-Coffee had Shut his Drive/in Op's down -Oddly Enuff in 2015 -as well so it was wen & on that Drive/in Apocalypse day mr Edge of Sobriety & Sanity Owner became all Flustered w/ Rage wen they were uPgrading Drive/ins from Reel2Reel -to Digital -so wen they Imposed that Mandatory uPgrade uPon mr Fly-by-Nite movi dude -(already Tilting Closer to the END of Sobriety) he Decided -"ooh F-that noise" . . (& so I can Assume you can see where this is heading) . . so -on the Brink of a Stiff Drink mr Edge-of-the-Sobriety-Wagon -Drive/in Guy -came to the Frugal minded Conclusion he was way too cheap to uPgrade -so then in a Tantrum Charged Fit of uPtight InSecure Frustration & Temper Driven Rage mr Drive/in Movi's Guy Ignited His Concession Stand and then wen he Decided that was too underStated & did Not paint a Clear Enuff Picture to make his Point & ShowCase his Inability to Comply -He Summoned his Darkest Temper/Tantrum & in a Prozac Deprived State of Utter Child like DelinQuency our Local Drive/in by nite dude went & Totally Set the Entire dam Movi Screen -to Sunder & Blaze -as thus ForEver Sealing the Permanent Demise of Drive/in Movi Nite for all SouthEastern IdaHo I was Most Disappointed as that was SouthEastern IdaHo's Last & Only Drive/in Hot Spot & up until that iLL Fated Tantrum Charged day I had Only Recently Developed a New WeekEnd Nack of Going to Drive/in Movi's um yea -so theres my Drive/in Movi Experience & its Bitter END .. (edt) -to Sum up mr Last Chance Drive/in Guys Revolutionary Evening am thinkin even whilst the Drive/in movi Screen was still in Raging Flames burning Furiously into the nite Sky -our Once Hero of WeekEnd Drive/in Movi Relief Likely Made a Hasty B-Line Directly to the Closest Pub & Had his Hand Trembling Date w/ that long anticipated Stiff Drink & 100 more -after that One *(One-HElluva-Guy)*
Nice job on the video, but you said the name pronounced it wrong. Or maybe you're pronouncing it the Spanish saying phrase,Lamesa (/ləˈmiːsə/ lə-MEE-sə) is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Texas, United State,The name Lamesa was taken from the Spanish word Mesa meaning "Tableland" because it was descriptive of the town's location on the high plateau of the South ...
The fact that all of the neon lamp sections are not broken, and the structures have not been plastered in graffiti and looted clean, gives me hope for humanity.
welcomed surprise! It is a really friendly little town.
Seeing this kind of video is bitter-sweet. I grew up in the 60s-70s when drive-ins were in play everywhere and was a big part of my childhood , even into the early 80s. Seeing one in this condition but eerily preserved in some ways is trippy.
Great job on the video and keep pushin on!
I know what you mean. I felt the same way my friend. Thanks for the encouragement!
I miss the drive in. Great memories!
Really wish I could have seen a movie there!
As little kids we would mess around at the playground and when the screen lit up announcing the feature was beginning it was so exciting!
What a great memory, my friend!
I still do that.
Well done! You got a sub out of that video. Many years ago when I worked on a farm, we farmed the land behind our local drive in. They had already gone to audio on the radio, so we would simply pull up and watch the movie on our tractors listening to our radio for audio.
Hi, Jon. Thanks for subscribing and for your comment. What a cool experience that was for you!
Ha this is great! I used to do the same thing in Kenosha Wisconsin years ago! Sure miss the old days!
I just came upon your channel, and man, oh man, did this bring back some groovy memories. Playing on the playground equipment, sitting outside the car as children with a parent. As we got older, we went with car loads of friends or on a date. I didn't even know these Drive Ins existed any more, abandoned or not? This was a really cool video. Thank you so much for sharing!!❤
Thanks for watching, my friend. It really was a different time. Places like this, along with certain songs, are our time machines.
Actually, the drive in most recently built was the Memory Lane Drive In located in Frenchtown, MI. Built in 2021. Twin ozoner.
Nothing sadder than an abandoned Drive-in Theater. 🥺
Cool video, bet that slide was awesome at 110°
Sliding on that in the summer wearing shorts would result in a blood bath..lol
Thank you so much for sharing, really enjoyed it
You're very welcome Rachel! And thank you for watching!
So cool. Really great video
Thank you so much for watching Karen!
The second one swing,is you grab on to the grip bars and you grip it with your hands and just hang on to it and spin around like a swing grabber... pretty fun,I remember those,and I'm 60 now.like your videos!!!
Thanks for the info my friend! Going to a movie was such a treat in those days. The address is 1613 S Dallas Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331. Haven't had a chance to go back by since making this video.
The insurance costs and liabilities inherent in a playground of that type. Yikes!
Imagine how many trips to the ER it caused.
A sad but very interesting look at a classic drive-in theater. Thank you. Long live the "Chihuahua"!!
Thanks for watching David! This location has stuck with me the most.
Nice treasure trove of d-i archaeology! Thanks for exploring for us all.
Thanks for watching! I'm looking for some more even if it's just the frame if the screen.
Thank you so much for sharing
You are very welcome! Thank you for watching!
Awesome exploration. New subscriber
Thanks for the sub Mike! This one was especially fun despite the heat.
Those posters and movies might be worth some money, I would have taken them, the place is abandoned !
Man thanks for doing this!
I've grown up on drive inns!!!! Its a real shame they are gone
Your welcome Paul! I wish there was alot more of them.
I think that it would be a problem with outdated building codes. This would require a lot of upgrades, on top of restoring the fire damaged areas. Also, they may have been un, or under insured, if they were in financial trouble.
There is a dive-in between Ocala and Belleview Florida on Highway 441. It was closed fr a couple years. The man who bought it, upgraded to a digital projector, then added several smaller screens, with new projectors. I was give a tour of the projection booths, because I spent a year running about 16 hours of 16 mm film a day at an Army AFRTS TV station, in the mid '70s.
That's really cool! Between running the projector in elementary school and an episode of Columbo that revolved around film I have had a fascination with that type of media.
@@theoutseers I quickly learned to reload a broken film, and splice it while it was running. I was 21 years old. I had tested out of the Army's three year Broadcast Engineering school.
I repaired my school's A/V equipment in the late '60s. We had about a half dozen 16mm projectors, plus a very old one that had been retired that was kept in the Electronics classroom. It was off the books, as too old to maintain so we didn't have to share it.
My first exposure to video tape was on a Sony 1/2" reel to reel B&W industrial machine. We used it to tape delay some Educational TV programs.
I should still have a 35mm test pattern slide from that TV station. It was to be shut down after I was discharged, and the equipment sent to other locations as spare equipment.
1000% best video yet
Thanks champ! It was super fun!
I was born in Lamesa, lived there until the mid 60's. The famous food was amazing, it got so popular they would let people in just to buy the food to go. That's what made my mom and dad begin cooking Mexican food trying to recreate the Chihuahua. Jock Mahoney (Tarzan) came there for a personal appearance, we got his autograph! Lots of good memories there.
Those are some great memories Gina! I'm from Lubbock and love all the surrounding small towns. Thanks for watching , Merry Christmas!
@@theoutseers Merry Christmas!
La Mesa is a nice little town,even littler I lived in tahoka just few miles north .
Lubbock,nice city back in the 70's,lived there on quaker and ave J st..now live in California.@@theoutseers
Very nice
Great content. Just sub. Shalom
Thank you so much! We really appreciate it my friend!
I would take some of those old movies!
I seriously thought about,I still can't believe what was left behind.
I grew up in this town and I used to go to this theater all the time when i was a kid. seeing the old play ground brought back so many memories. the last movie I ever saw here was toy story 3
Such a nice town. Thanks for watching amigo!
I was born there and lived there until 1966, ate there a lot!
If I had the cash, i'd re-open that place and bring her into the 21st century. The Coyote in Ft. Worth has proven people will go to a Drive-In with great picture/sound, excellent food and beverages to boot..
We really enjoy the Coyote too. They have an awesome menu!
There is one remaining drive in still in use in Carthage Missouri. The "66" drive in. There were 3 drive in in the Joplin. Missouri area. Sadly they are gone.
Will have to check it out. Did the Joplin Drive inn close due to that terrible tornado?
No, the last one in Webb City Missouri. It ran for a while. The poles, speakers where replaced with your radio in the car. I did get to take my 2 son's to experience it. They are 34 & 38 now. It was torn down to make way for Walmart.
This was way before the tornado.
I see. I used to deliver supplies to restaurant named El Charro in Joplin but that was a long time ago.
Cool videoo
Thanks amigo!
Oh dear. Perhaps you can contact the owner of that place if they'd like for restorers on TH-cam to band together to ressurrect it or if they'd like to sell it to someone else or sell the playground equipment to others and give the film reels away to other drive-ins or have drive-in film-reel uploaders on this site to upload whatever film reels are there. Either way, none of this should go to waste.
The playground was still in really great shape, considering the neglect and how old it is. Would love to see it come back to life.
With all the walk-in theaters closeing this is good time to open a drive- in
That's a great point!
I live in Houston but visited the Sky Vu several times. They were famous for their chihuahua sandwich, which was surprisingly good. I believe the owner's name is Sam Kirkland, who was a very nice man.
That's really cool. Wish I could have gone when it was still open to try one of those chihuahua sandwiches.
I could go for a slush puppie right about now.
I found a place in Fort Worth that has them!
Life after man !
Our local drive in was called the same name only traditionally spelled "view"
How long ago was this shot? My film collecting senses were going nuts! There might be some valuable film prints there. Who owns the property? I have 3 theaters and a drive-in at my house. All film projection. Film is making a comeback. I'd be willing to talk to the owners if they'd consider renting. Hey, a little duct tape and it'd be good as new! (Just kidding about the duct tape for the humorless.) FYI, the small reels in the shipping cans are 2000' reels. That's how they came from the distributer. The "Ginormus" reels are 12,000' reels. The individual reels were spliced end to end onto these reels for projection. The projector on the floor is a Century 35mm and is just the projection head. The soundhead is missing as well as the pedestal, lamp house, and film transport. I rebuild these for my company. This could be reopened for a fraction of the price of building new. THe biggest expense is the land. It has to be graded for water runoff..
Thanks for the info John, you know your stuff. This was done about three weeks ago. I am still amazed at what was left behind.
In IL we still have a drive in and it is still open
I love the drive in experience! Especially taking my dogs.
With the Retro Decade Revival Project, Drive-In Theatres like this will be restored and reopened to the public exactly the way it was when it was first built.
I hope so, there is a drive-in Fort Worth the Coyote that's really fun and nice.
@@theoutseers Sweet, to coin a new phrase, "Behind every mess up is a clean up."
I grew up with drive in theatre near by
Where in town exactly if I may ask?
It's driving out of town south towards Midland Odessa. I actually couldn't find it at first and was on my way out and there it was.
I was there a month ago and the playground is overgrown so bad you cant walk in there. Sad piece of history.
That's to bad man. I was thinking of stopping by there later in the month on my way to Roswell.
Youre llike the youung version of Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction!
🤣🤣🤣 Thanks, I am pretty slow and long-winded.
I had to lol at the fact that they tried to take credit for their movies being in color!
You would think they would have to return those film prints asap. I wonder why they had so many laying around?
I saw some 70s movies there too. It was a crazy experience.
Where is this property at, I'd like to find it and actually would buy it and put it back in business, I'm sure people would love to have a drive in, I'm from Texas.
Should turn it into an RV park for travelers and retirees
That's a great idea!
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo needs to go back drive in
I would have taken all that film.
I know what you mean, part of me wishes I would have.
"Deliverance -Here"
-ah oh
🤣
I hated those, burnt the shit out of my legs. Jensen why I never went down then things. I always went for the swings and still do today when I’m at a place that has playground equipment.
Those styles of slides in texas not a good idea ..lol I used to burn the back of my legs but wouldn't dare complain to mom or we were out of there.
Thanks
You're welcome, my friend.
I don't know much about movie film no, but that sitting out in the baking hot sun, cannot be doing any good for it, in fact, old film, if it's left in the sun like that, will eventually turn clear and you will lose the picture that was once recorded onto it. god! why would they do that with that kind of thing.
I was super surprised to see any film left behind especially outside. Thank you for checking out the video!
The building that burned has been torn down.
That's to bad. Do you know if they took all the stuff out?
Makesme sick at how much stuff is wasted that could be salvaged and given or sold to collectors. I def would of took some stuff , all its doing there is decaying waiting to be damaged more by vandals.
I have wrestled with that thought since last year. Have even considered going back to see what's left now. Your right it is most definitely being wasted.
@@theoutseers exactly it drives me nuts when i see Urbex channels not taking anything i get there is a rule or code amongst explorers but if you know its just gunna go to waste or become destroyed by vandals why not save the stuff or call someone to pick stuff up to donate it….
I think they can make a cone back these utopias were built to last and with todays tech it can all fit in
Agreed 👍
if you love slush pups so much
wy dont you jus marry em
😂😂😂
@@theoutseers
-sorry couldnt Resist
great video anyways
think its sad to see all them
vintage Drive/Ins Rot Away
Drenched in CobWebs
CareLess Neglect & Dust
& have I got a Notable
Drive/in Tale
-so I went w/ Friends
Every WeeKEnd to
the Local Edge-of-town
Drive/In -Here -in my
SouthEastern IdaHo town
until to my Utter Disappointment
& Shell Shocked Dismay
the Once (Stable Minded) Owner
& ""Proudly Recovered AlcoHolic""
-Half Holding Desperately
onto the Wagon &
Slumping Over the Edge
& w/ One more Sudden Bump
in the Road its Off the Wagon
Mr Drive/in's Sobriety Go's)
*"& God Grant me the Power to Accept*
*the things I cannot change*
*& the Wisdom to Know the Difference"*
& so -mr -Make-mine-a-Coffee
had Shut his Drive/in Op's
down -Oddly Enuff in 2015 -as well
so it was wen & on that
Drive/in Apocalypse day
mr Edge of Sobriety & Sanity
Owner became
all Flustered w/ Rage
wen they were uPgrading
Drive/ins from Reel2Reel
-to Digital -so wen they Imposed
that Mandatory uPgrade
uPon mr Fly-by-Nite movi dude
-(already Tilting Closer
to the END of Sobriety)
he Decided -"ooh F-that noise"
. . (& so I can Assume you can
see where this is heading) . .
so -on the Brink of a Stiff Drink
mr Edge-of-the-Sobriety-Wagon
-Drive/in Guy -came to the
Frugal minded Conclusion
he was way too cheap to uPgrade
-so then in a Tantrum Charged Fit
of uPtight InSecure Frustration
& Temper Driven Rage
mr Drive/in Movi's Guy
Ignited His Concession Stand
and then wen he Decided
that was too underStated
& did Not paint a Clear Enuff
Picture to make his Point &
ShowCase his Inability to Comply
-He Summoned his
Darkest Temper/Tantrum
& in a Prozac Deprived State
of Utter Child like DelinQuency
our Local Drive/in by nite dude
went & Totally Set the Entire
dam Movi Screen -to Sunder & Blaze
-as thus ForEver Sealing
the Permanent Demise
of Drive/in Movi Nite for
all SouthEastern IdaHo
I was Most Disappointed as
that was SouthEastern IdaHo's
Last & Only Drive/in Hot Spot
& up until that iLL Fated
Tantrum Charged day
I had Only Recently Developed
a New WeekEnd Nack
of Going to Drive/in Movi's
um yea -so theres my Drive/in Movi
Experience & its Bitter END ..
(edt) -to Sum up
mr Last Chance Drive/in Guys
Revolutionary Evening
am thinkin even whilst
the Drive/in movi Screen
was still in Raging Flames
burning Furiously into the
nite Sky -our Once Hero
of WeekEnd Drive/in Movi Relief
Likely Made a Hasty B-Line
Directly to the Closest Pub
& Had his Hand Trembling Date
w/ that long anticipated Stiff Drink
& 100 more -after that One
*(One-HElluva-Guy)*
Nice job on the video, but you said the name pronounced it wrong. Or maybe you're pronouncing it the Spanish saying phrase,Lamesa (/ləˈmiːsə/ lə-MEE-sə) is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Texas, United State,The name Lamesa was taken from the Spanish word Mesa meaning "Tableland" because it was descriptive of the town's location on the high plateau of the South ...
I'd have stolen all the film reels I found
Man I thought about it.
@@theoutseers Now that would be a trip to see what those films are