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Although we approached the 25 Drive-In from the south, I think this view from the north makes for a better "first impression" of the property.
The marquee is no more than ten feet from the edge of Highway 25. You can just make out a small portable advertising sign sitting next to the screen. On the far right, inside the lot, is our rental car. If I recall correctly, we parked in the second row from the screen.
As you can see, the 25 Drive-In is a "first run" theater. If my records are correct, this was the second week of release for "The Matrix Reloaded". Did "The Matrix Reloaded" open in the local in-door theater and then move outdoors? A strong possibility as both theaters are owned by the same company.
Note the standing water beneath the marquee.
"Ignore the man behind the marquee!"
Moving carefully across the wet grass, I've now moved directly behind the marquee. As you can see, it is of recent construction and is far newer than the rest of the property.
From this vantage point, the true size of the pool of standing water is revealed!
The electrical wires running across the top of the marquee provide power to the lights on the other side. Could that be the power switch on the far left side just below the top crossbeam?
Looking at this picture now, I can't see how the electrical power actually reaches the sign. There don't appear to be any wires running down any of the main vertical supports.
Turning around, I took this closeup of the advertising sign.
I personally have a problem with hosting flea markets or similar events at drive-in theaters. Why? I believe it "cheapens" the property in the minds of the public. Beyond that, I see potential problems with clutter and trash. Fortunately, if yard sales are a regular event at the 25 Drive-In, they have found a way to deal with these problems. The property shows no signs of such activities other than this sign.
At the bottom left of the sign, there is a coil of electrical wire similar to the wire on the marquee.
Behind the advertising sign is the screen. The frame of the screen is constructed of welded steel pipe. At first glance, there isn't anything unusual about its design and construction. But, let's look just a bit closer...
The screen currently in use at the 25 Drive-In came from another drive-in theater in the area. More on that later! Notice how the main screen supports are literally "pinned" to steel bars set in concrete. Note the large gap between the bottom of the screen support and the ground beneath it. Even if we didn't know this screen came from another location, this would be a big clue to that fact!
Although this main support is closer to the ground, if you look closely, you'll see that it too is being held up by the steel pin pushed through it.
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