Greene County Drive-In
Drive In
Movies come and movies go, but the one thing that has stayed the same in Linton is the place where they are shown. The Greene County Drive-In is located on State Road 54 just East of Linton.
Pulling off of the highway and turning into the drive-in, one sees poles positioned down each side of the roadway. Atop each of these poles is a light, which is used to define the road in the evening. A mammoth screen is located on the left. Continuing down the entrance road, one comes to a ticket booth. Across from it sits a lighted sign, which shows the prices for admission. Continuing down the road, a person turns left, around a fence, and into the viewing lot. In the middle of the lot, a pale blue concrete-block building houses the snack shop and the projector room. Around the drive-in viewing area are many four-foot poles, which hold the in-car speakers. These poles sit atop a mound, which runs the width of the grounds. Between each of these mounds is a roadway, which connects the entrance to the exit. The ground, which was once all gravel, is now covered in grass. At the front of the complex sits a huge screen mounted atop a gray base. To either side of the screen is a fence, which serves to close off the outside world. Around the right side of the fence is the exit roadway. As one exits the drive-in, lighted poles indicate the way back to the highway.
Amazingly the first person to own this Greene County landmark still owns it today. Charles Cassida is the owner of this establishment. First erected in 1948, the Linton Drive-In is the oldest drive-in theater in Indiana. The screen had to be replaced in 1950 when a tornado destroyed most of it. The screen was replaced by one supplied by the owner of the Shelburn theater.
The main difference between the current drive-in and the one of the past is the sound system. Originally two huge speakers, one to each side of the screen, were used. These have been replaced by smaller in-car speakers. To add to the significance of this historical landmark, it is one of only 26 drive-ins remaining in Indiana.
Thought to be gone were the days of families driving to the movies on a Friday night, but according to the owner, this outdoor movie theater is seeing many new customers. These new customers could be attributed to the adults who spent many nights at the drive-in as a child. Now they have children of their own and wish for them to experience the fun that they once had.
I remember my first experience with the Linton Drive-In. I was five years old and the movie playing was "Ghostbusters." I can still recall my enjoyment of sitting in the front seat of our car eating popcorn, drinking pop, and watching a new movie with my whole family. My face would light up each time I would see one of the Ghostbusters trap a ghost or when the antics of Bill Murray made everyone laugh. As the night grew longer, I soon fell asleep in the front seat. I awoke as my father was driving out the front gate, and my parents asked me if I had a good time. I said, "Yes," and returned to sleep. Although I was only five years old, I still remember that night as one of my favorite memories with my family.
This information was used with permission from the Linton-Stockton School Corporation.
