Town Twin Drive-In Theater Cleveland Texas

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_16.jpg (34045 bytes)    We found this drive-in while driving through Cleveland TX on the way to a funeral.  Since we had the cameras with us, we stopped off for a quick trip around the grounds. It is located on Texas Highway 59 just north of Washington Avenue. 

aerialphoto2.jpg (177775 bytes)  The layout is a bit odd but since the name of this drive-in is the Town Twin, we started looking for the second screen.  If you look at the curves on the ground in front of the area I have pointed out as the suspected site of the second screen, you may agree that there used to be a screen there.  It is almost exactly the same distance from the projection booth as the current screen and it's on the opposite end of the lot.  If anybody out there knows for sure please let me know.  This photo was taken in 1995 and there is a wash-ateria located on that spot today.

This screen is huge compared to most of them we see still standing. It is 82' long and approximately 41' tall.  With the under support beams, it will top out at around 60' tall.  It is situated to where it is perfectly visible from the northeast bound lane of the highway and almost looks like a huge billboard.  The covered area to the left in the top picture is a fuel pump area that was added later when the drive-in was converted into a truck stop.  The truck stop is no longer in operation either.

CL.jpg (33754 bytes)  CL2.jpg (33239 bytes)  The screen panels are in reasonably good repair and could use a good power wash, some caulk and a bit of paint to be serviceable again.

 

CL5.jpg (83179 bytes)  CL6.jpg (84842 bytes)  CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_05.jpg (82732 bytes)   The main support beams are basic telephone poles and the rear support poles are 6" steel pipe.  The rear support poles may have been added at a later date but we have no way to know for sure at this time.  All of the support beams are in very good condition.

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_02.jpg (30951 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_03.jpg (46367 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_04.jpg (46048 bytes) CL4.jpg (43309 bytes)

 

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_06.jpg (31611 bytes)   The large two story area in the right side of the this picture was a shower area and recreation room area that was added during the truck stop conversion.  If you look very carefully to the left of that structure you will see a dark corridor between that building and the one on the left.

 CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_09.jpg (28063 bytes)   This is the view from that corridor.

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_07.jpg (43107 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_10.jpg (47791 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_11.jpg (41313 bytes) And this is the view of the building on the left side of that corridor.  That's right, it is the entrance door to the old projection room.  The original projection room and snackbar area were covered in this fake log cabin paneling.  I would love to see pictures of it just after it opened.

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_12.jpg (54996 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_13.jpg (54150 bytes) CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_14.jpg (50110 bytes) Around the back side of the building is an area that looks to have been damaged in a storm.  There is an added-on building missing from this picture that was either torn down or blown down in a storm.

CLEAVELAND_C3_2001_15.jpg (68477 bytes)   To the front left side of the snackbar area is this foundation.  It could have been the original ticket booth although the placement would have been a bit close to the snackbar.

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