One Of The Oldest Drive-In Theaters In The U.S., Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre In Pennsylvania Is Now 86 Years Old
By Beth Price-Williams|Published April 20, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Remember the good old days when summer nights meant going to our local drive-in? We’d park our car, drop a blanket on the ground, and toss a Frisbee in the hours or the minutes leading up to the start of a double-feature. What would an evening at the drive-in be without multiple trips to the snack bar, too? If it’s been too long since you’ve been to the drive-in, you’ll definitely want to check out Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre in Pennsylvania.
Generations of Pennsylvanians have pulled into Shankweiler's Drive-In, in Orefield, on balmy summer evenings for a double feature under the stars.
Opened by Wilson Shankweiler in April 1934, the drive-in was the first in Pennsylvania. Within a quarter of a century, the United States would be home to more than 4,000 drive-ins.
However, the drive-in's history hasn't been without some tragedy. The screen and projection booth, for example, were destroyed during Hurricane Diane in 1955.
Today, a ticket gets you a parking spot, a double feature, and a ton of fun. The historic drive-in also features a snack bar. There, you can order such goodies as hot dogs, popcorn, and funnel cakes.
Do you have a favorite drive-in theatre in Pennsylvania? Tell us about it in the comments! Did you know that PA is also home to a drive-in theatre that allows you to camp out? Check out The Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton.
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