Midway Drive-In

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For the drive-in near Federal Way, Washington, see Midway Drive-In (Washington).

The Midway Drive-In Theater in Ravenna, Ohio of the United States of America is one of two drive-ins operated by John Knepp. Originally built by famed drive-in architect Jack K. Vogel, the drive-in was one of the last drive-ins standing with a futuristic Vogel screentower.

The theater was designed, built and operated by the Vogel family. It was sold to Knepp in the early 1990s. Knepp added a second screentower at the back of the lot to make it a twin drive-in. From the beginning, the theatre featured a rounded blue screentower. While the screen faced the drive-in lot, the outside of the screentower facing State Route 59 was a sight to behold. The original drawing of the screentower was one of several Vogel designs featured in The American Drive-In Movie Theatre book by Don and Susan Sanders. Of the designs featured in the book, the Midway in Ravenna was the only standing example.

The original screentower was destroyed by a winter storm in December, 2000. The screentower was demolished and replaced with a standard-issue Selby Screentower in time for the 2001 season. A display case in the concession stand includes memorabilia including photos of the original screentower.

[edit] References

Byard, Katie:

Drive-In Brings Back Memories, Makes New Ones
Midway Theater Outside Ravenna Attracts Teenagers, Young Families With Giant Screen, Good Eats, Nostalgia; Akron Beacon Journal, May 24, 2001.
Sanders, Don & Susan: The American Drive-In Movie Theatre; (Motorbooks International) Sept, 1997