 Entrance, October 2023 | |
| Address | 10400 Ford Road Dearborn, Michigan United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°19′55″N 83°09′37″W / 42.3319°N 83.1603°W / 42.3319; -83.1603 |
| Type | drive-in theater |
| Capacity | 2500 |
| Screens | 5 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1950 |
| Opened | May 19, 1950; 74 years ago (1950-05-19) |
| Years active | 1950-present |
Ford-Wyoming Drive-In is a drive-in theater located in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1950, it features five screens. The property previously had nine, leading it to be declared the largest drive-in theater in the world.
History
Clark Enterprises built the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in 1950. The theater opened for business on May 19 of that year, with a double-bill of The Man from Colorado and Road to Rio as its first attraction. Upon opening, the drive-in had the capacity for 750 cars.
Wayne Amusements purchased the drive-in in 1981 and expanded it by continuing to add screens. At its peak, the Ford-Wyoming had nine screens and a capacity of over 3,000 cars, leading it to become the largest drive-in theater in the world.
In 2006, the owners sold the land on which the sixth through ninth screens were located. This decision was made due to a decline in population of the Detroit area. The five screens have remained operational since this downsizing. This has reduced the overall capacity to 2,500 cars. It is one of nine remaining drive-in theaters in the state of Michigan, and the only one in Metro Detroit. As of 2019, the theater is owned by Charles Shafer.
References
- ^ "Michigan was once home to the world's largest drive-in movie theater Published: Jun. 20, 2017, 12:13 p.m." MLive. June 20, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ "Dearborn's Beloved Ford-Wyoming Drive-In Theatre Earns National Recognition". Corp Magazine. August 6, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ Matt Forster (2009). Backroads & Byways of Michigan: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions. The Countryman Press. p. 23.
- Stuart Galbraith IV (2001). Motor City Marquees: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference to Motion Picture Theaters in the Detroit Area. McFarland Incorporated. p. 162.
- Brian Butko, Sarah Butko (2007). Roadside Attractions: Cool Cafés, Souvenir Stands, Route 66 Relics, & Other Road Trip Fun. Stackpole Books. p. 14.
- ^ Jerilyn Jordan (June 12, 2019). "Nearly 70 years later and Dearborn's Ford-Wyoming Drive-in is still the star of the show". Metro Times. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
External links
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| This list is incomplete. Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology serves Dearborn resident but is in Dearborn Heights. | |||