I took this photo one hot summer afternoon in July of 2005. The Bel Air Drive In Theatre was located at South Cicero Avenue and West 31st Street at the border of west suburban Cicero Illinois. This photo is looking east from South Cicero Avenue / Illinois U.S Route # 50.The Bel Air Drive In had been abandoned since the place had closed in the early to mid 1980's.
The front entrance gate had already been demolished years before. By the time of My visit, the only thing that was left was this decaying drive through movie screen, several tall man made dirt walls ( To prevent free viewing), and a couple of weed overgrown entrance and exit gravel roads. In April of 2007, the two sided drive through movie screen was demolished. The site is currently being redeveloped for other use, as construction crews and equipment are presently working at the old Bel Air Drive In site today.
I had visited the Bel Air Drive In a small number of times with My family during the early 1970's when it was still in nightly operation during the warmer weather months. Some of the movies I recalled seeing there were....Barbra Streisand in " Whats Up Doc" -Steve Mc Queen in the movie "Bullet" -Dustin Hoffman in " Little Big Man" -and possibly a Disney movie or two.
The Bel Air Drive In was the "Last" drive in theatre within the city of Chicago Illinois.
14 comments:
Cool shot. Very unusual feeling, with the old screen looking like a looming, ominous structure on a desolate or ravaged landscape.
Eddie,
I believe that the property resides in Cicero, according to town historical records. So it was not the last drive in theater within Chicago city limits!
Frank
The site of the old Bel Air Drive In will be the site of the new Super Wal-Mart coming to Cicero.
The earth movers have been doing site work for a couple of months now.
This is just one of the many improvements taking place within the Town of Cicero.
Thanks for the nice pic of the old Bel Air.
Dominick Gatto
www.peopleofcicero.org
@ dominic,
I would hardly call a super wal mart an improvement over a historical drive in theater. I wouldnt really call a super wal mart an improvement over anything to be honest.
Trey
Eddie, the reason i came upon your blog, which is lovely, is that i am doing some research about freight trains in southern IL and was hoping your expertise might be of some help. please get in touch if you wouldnt mind answering a few questions for me. It would be greatly appreciated,
Trey
Treythefarmer@hotmail.com
You dont have to publish this, i was just unaware of how else to contact you.
I could care less about a new Super Walmart being built here.
Just leave Hawthorne Junction behind it alone. I love to railfan here occasionally with My camera.
Lots of transfer trains over the Belt Railway of Chicago, as well as a fair share of action on the CN ex Illinois Central Iowa Division mainline.
Eddie K.
Eddie,
You know what old drive-in you may be thinking of that was within the Chicago city limits? How about that one that used to be on Columbus somewhere between Western and Kedzie, north side of the road, with the old WAB/N&W Landers Yard right across the street.
Wasn' there also a big Zayre store right around there that you used to work at?
Hi Anthony!
I think that You are right about the old Twin Drive In on Southwest Highway being the last one in Chicago. I think it closed around 1985, but I am not entirely sure.
I used to work at the Zayre store on West 26th Street in My old neighborhood in the early 1980's.
Thanks buddy.
Eddie K.
The Twin Drive In on Southwest Highway in the Wrightwood neighborhood was actually the last inside of Chicago. The site has long since been redeveloped into an industriaL park.
hey Eddie, i googled something and came across your page, kept finding new things about Cicero and i found the Bel Air drive in picture. i remember going there as a kid with my brother, mom and dad. i seen Jurassic Park there, and i think that was it! i would remember driving by coming home from my uncles house and we can see some of the screen and try to guess what movie was showing! and what happened to that Casablanca across the street? any guesses? i forget whats over there! bp?
Casablanca Flea Market , I just passed through there a week ago and it looked like a banquet hall.
I lived in cicero since 72 the drive in closed in the early 90s & the flea market was not across the street, it was a dept store called Community the flea market futher north on cicero ave, it was were united scrap parks there trucks they tore the building down in the 90s
I saw The Bridge on the River Kwai there in 1958!
I remeber that drive thru it was by 75th & kedzie a lil over 20 yrs ago I use to go with my Lil brother on bikes couldn't hear anything but was able 2 see the movie lol
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