Traverse Drive-In Theatre

Info Updates:

5/16/2020 - Cole Maxson

My great-grandfather, Roderick Maxson, owned the theater from an unknown year until the mid-'70s. He was an infamous businessman in the Traverse City area and also opened the harbor across the street (Cuttysark Harbor). In the 1990s, Mount Hope Road was constructed through the remains of the abandoned theater, ironically engineered by my father, Scott Maxson.

3/21/2018 - Jason

This drive in burned down in 1981, I learned this from a lady that worked for Acme township and i have pics to prove it burned down that she sent me.

3/5/2014 - Steven M Cook

Hi Here are some bits and pieces that I remember about the end of the Traverse Drive-In theatre. Yes, it did close about 1980, but I want to say possibly earlier like 1977. I had worked at the Embers restaurant across the street from the Theatre from the summer of 1978 through May of 1984. There was limited parking for employees and the owner of the Embers, Keith Charters, had arranged with the owners of the theatre property for us to park on the property in what had been the driveway entrance. The entrance was on the south side of the property along U. S. 31 North and the exit when the theatre was operating was at the north end of the property. We parked there for the entire time that I worked at the Embers. Especially in the summers as the Embers was very busy and part of the parking lot was also used by those who had boats in the Marina. Employees parking across the street was very important for business as there were 20 to 30 cars on the lawn and old entrance road. The theatre itself burned during the summer of either 1980 or 1981, I don’t remember which. I was in the Maritime Academy and I was away on my sea time on the ships during the summers and I received a letter from my Mom that the theatre had burned. I believe that the structure was mostly wood and while it did not burn completely and collapse, it was damaged enough and structurally unsafe that it was pulled down for safety reasons. The land behind the theatre was on an up-slope and there was a subdivision slightly to the north of the property. Many people simply walked through the fields and trees and sat on the rise behind the fence to watch the movies. Not much but a little something.

3/10/2009 - Tom

I went to the Traverse Drive-In in the mid 1970''s during my college days when there was something I wanted to see. When you were at East Bay Beach just east of Northwestern Michigan College, you could see the screen from the beach across the bay.

2/10/2004 - Traverse City Record-Eagle

THURSDAY JUNE 29,1950 DRIVE-IN THEATRE OPENS FRIDAY - Something new in the way of theater entertainment for moving picture fans of this region will be unveiled Friday night when the Traverse Drive-In Theater, first outdoor theater to be completed north of Muskegon, holds its gala grand opening. The theater is located six miles north of Traverse City on US-31 along the bay shore, just this side of the village of Acme. Construction was launched on the theater project, owned by the West Michigan Theatre Corporation, last fall on a 12-acre plot of ground which has facilities for accommodating over 500 cars of show patrons. Landscaping of the grounds is just bing completed. Fridays premiere showing will feature a first run picture, to be shown just two days after national release. Theater officials stated that quite a number of first run pictures will be shown during the summer season. The Traverse Drive-In will offer shows every night, with two performances to be offered on a single billing and one and half shows for double features. The schedule is so arranged that any patrons who arrive at the thater bt 10:00 p.m. will be able to see a complete show. In addition to the finest in sound and projection equipment, the theater will have a refreshment building combined withe the projection booth. Comfortable chairs will be available for walk-in patrons and those who wish to leave their cars. A special childrens playground has been installed for youngsters to use prior to shows. A feature will be free pony rides for children before the show starts. Bottle warmers will be available for babies at the concession building without charge, and the theater will offer car hop service to its patrons, with a complete line of refreshments offered by the concession. Theater patrons may signal for car-side service by using a siganl light on the switch of the individual speakers available for each acr. Officials invite drive-in patrons to visit Northen Michigans newest theater of its type, pointing out that entire families may come to the show and that patrons may wear informal garb. Officers of the theater firm operating the Traverse Drive-In are Glen Beach, White Cloud, president; Glenn Wallace, Scottville, secretary; Bion Rockwell, Suttons Bay, treasurer.

1/6/2003 - Drive-Ins.com

This drive-in is mostly gone. The lot is bisected by a road. Half of the lot has two motels on it. The other half has the screen foundations, a ramp, and what seem to be speaker poles. Bobby Peacock

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