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All the United States Pennsylvania Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre
AO Edited

Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre

America's oldest drive-in movie theater has been in continuous operation since 1934.

Orefield, Pennsylvania

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The Moving Picture Cinema
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A beautiful winter night for a movie   jyackabonis / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
  The Moving Picture Cinema / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre first opened in 1934 and has been in continuous operation ever since. The theater was named for its founder, Wilson Shankweiler, a prominent entrepreneur and hotel owner in the Lehigh Valley. The second drive-in theater ever built, Shankweiler's Drive-In preceded the flood of outdoor cinemas that would sprout up across the country in the mid-1950s.

Though pop-up style outdoor movies existed in the 1930s, few were permanently-constructed venues, and none catered specifically to automobiles. Shankweiler's Drive-In drew inspiration and design elements from its only predecessor, the short-lived Camden Park-In Theatre in Camden, New Jersey. These "park-in" theaters were a new concept, and as the popularity of drive-ins rose, technological improvements to projection and sound distribution followed. Shankweiler's Drive-In always managed to keep ahead of the curve, notably becoming the first drive-in to deliver the film's soundtrack via FM radio broadcast instead of through speaker poles.

With a capacity of about 300 cars, Shankweiler's is a small drive-in by contemporary standards. The clean, well-maintained property makes for a fun, nostalgic moviegoing experience under the stars.

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The theater is located in Orefield, Pennsylvania, right of Route 309. A vintage sign is visible from the road, directing patrons to the entrance-way. The theater is typically open on weekends, with extended operation in the summer months.

Community Contributors

Added By

The Moving Picture Cinema

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy, jyackabonis

  • Michelle Cassidy
  • jyackabonis

Published

December 12, 2022

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Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre
4540 Shankweiler Rd
Orefield, Pennsylvania, 18069
United States
40.645014, -75.594552
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