Hi,Just thought I would let you know that the Cheif drive in formerly in Estherville,IA has recenlty been moved west of Estherville to Superior,IA (the junction of Hwy 9 and 71) and is open for business. It's the real deal,90' screen,consessions,bathrooms and FM broadcast. Went there tonight. I haven't been to a drive in movie since i was a little kid,it was a great experience!
Travis
Aug 17, 2008
Newton, Iowa Drive-In
If you look at the topo map the drive in is located just west of where the "249" is printed on the map. It is on the north side of that road (1st Ave W) to the west of town just past the Westwood Golf Club, and the last I knew it was still open.
It is called Valle Drive-In
James
( June 22, 2007)
Hi, I'm a fellow drive-in enthusiast and found your site- I thought you might like to have a little more info on the Waterloo, IA drive-ins.
You list two (with one being unknown): the first was the SkyVue that was south of town and had its screen destroyed by a tornado while playing! It was never reopened and the screen was scrapped. The cinderblock building still stands but is used for farm storage. I learned that the whole drive-in parcel was sold a few weeks ago to the owner of the surrounding farmland. Nothing has been touched for years, it's just wasted away.
The second unidentified on your site was the Starlite Drive-In and you've got a shot of it with a building on top. That drive-in was sold shortly before the time of the aerial for a new Hy-Vee supermarket; all that land had become very valuable. There's absolutely no trace one ever existed there today.
In regards to the Hillcrest Drive-In in Cedar Falls, I have an aerial photo showing some of the surrounding development that more clearly shows the layout. As you know, this theater no longer exists yet our county real-estate mapping still shows it. In its place is complex after complex of upscale college apartments and condos. This theater ran until just a couple years ago and was the last in our region and turned excellent business. A damn shame. Let me know if you'd like the pic-
Thanks-
Cory
( November, 2005)
