Author Archives: mrdrivein

June 19: Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theatres, Wisconsin Dells WI

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It’s Day 170 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took an hour of driving two-lane highways through Wisconsin hills and small towns to get from Chilton to the Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theatres in Wisconsin Dells.

According to a 2008 article in the Wisconsin Dells Events, the Big Sky began its life as the single-screen Winnebago Drive-In in 1953. “Owned by Don Deakin, the theater screened a newsreel, two cartoons and the feature film ‘Raiders of the Seven Seas,’ and gave patrons a souvenir ashtray,” wrote the Events.

Don LeGros and his family bought the place in 1980. “When we took it on, it was mostly showing motorcycle pictures and now we’ve brought it up as a family destination,” LeGros said. About that time, the drive-in’s name changed to the Dells. LeGros changed the name again in 1993 to the Big Sky and added a second screen a year later.

It’s great that we get so many opportunities for aerial views of drive-ins these days. Thanks to drones and YouTube, there are many overhead portraits of these great old places. The video I embedded above was posted last year by Ricky7RC.

The Big Sky’s marquee promises that it’s the home of the Mamaburger, made famous by Dorothy “Ma” LeGros. It’s great to be able to rely on dinner at the drive-in.

My choices for the early shows were Wonder Woman, which I’ve seen five times so far, or my second viewing of Cars 3. To be, the best thing about Cars 3 is that it pretends that Cars 2 simply never happened.

Miles Today / Total:  49 / 22019 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Cars 3 / 86

Nearby Restaurant: I don’t have many days left in Wisconsin, so I had to search out a good cheese restaurant. Macs Macaroni and Cheese Shop definitely fits that description. They serve great mac and cheese in a skillet, and you get to choose what else you want in there. Hot dogs? Bacon? BBQ sauce? Taco fixin’s? Whatever it is, there will be plenty of cheese with it, and be sure to save room for cheesecake for dessert.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There are so many tourists filling Wisconsin Dells that it rates a Hilton Garden Inn. I feel a little spoiled to wonder whether I should mention the refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker in my room. Should we all consider them standard like a TV? Anyway, this HGI was as clean and nice as most other HGIs, and I was really happy that it was so close by.

Only in Wisconsin Dells: In this classically kitschy tourist town, there are any number of tourist traps, of which a great example is the upside-down White House at Top Secret. Recent reviews on TripAdvisor include “Worst attraction ever” and “I don’t know why this place exists”, but the folks at Roadside America seem to have had a great time there. Their guide told them, “We’re part of an archaeological dig team sponsored by the government. We just happened to run across an upside down White House in Wisconsin Dells. We have no idea why.” Fun, right?

Next stop: Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre, Jefferson WI.

June 18: Starlite 14 Drive In, Richland Center WI

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Starlite 14 marquee with screen in background

Photo from the Starlite 14 Facebook page

It’s Day 169 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I had to add a little zigzagging to catch weekend-only drive-ins when they’re open. In this case, it means driving almost three hours from Chilton WI to the Starlite 14 Drive In just southeast of Richland Center WI.

The Starlite opened as the Highway 14 Drive-In in 1952, owned by Sarah Eskin and Ervin Morris. It was renamed the Starlite 14 in the mid-1980s, and according to Cinema Treasures, Bill and Lisa Muth bought the place in 1988. You can see Bill Muth in this November 2013 YouTube video explaining the need to get money for a digital projector. By early 2014, the new system was in place, and the Starlite 14 keeps rolling.

The 2016 young adult novel The Giant Smugglers features the Starlite 14 by name. It’s the only place where the protagonist can bring his 20-foot friend to watch a movie.

And that’s pretty much all I could find about the Starlite 14. One blogger speculated that the original Highway 14 marquee blew down, possibly explaining the name change. I saw a 1975 photo of the original wooden screen (with room for offices on the ground floor) on the Starlite’s Facebook page, and I wonder whether a storm knocked it out too, or instead, since the current metal screen looks fairly modern.

I love it that the Starlite 14 has both FM radio sound and the classic (original?) in-car speakers. Tonight marked back-to-back viewings of Captain Underpants. I’ve had worse this year.

Miles Today / Total:  154 / 21970 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Captain Underpants / 85

Nearby Restaurant: A couple of places I tried – the Cheese Cellar and the Empire Grill – were closed because it was Sunday. At least the Center Cafe was still open for a late lunch. It’s the kind of comfort food place where I could find a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes. I knew that would keep me going until I could reach the Starlite 14 concession stand.

Where I Virtually Stayed: I was pretty happy with my stay at the Ramada here. The price was great, I had a mini fridge and microwave in my room, and solid wifi. In lieu of breakfast, I got a coupon for the attached Country Kitchen restaurant, but the room rate was low enough that it was still a great deal.

Only in Richland Center: Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright was born at Richland Center in 1867. The A. D. German Warehouse, completed in 1921, is the only building designed by Wright in the city and is an early example of his Mayan Revival style.

Next stop: Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theatres, Wisconsin Dells WI.

June 17: Chilton Twilight Drive-In Theater, Chilton WI

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Drive-In screen seen across a paved parking lot

Photo from the Twilight Drive-In Facebook page

It’s Day 168 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It’s always great to have a short drive, and this one took less than an hour, from the Field of Scenes in Freedom WI south to the Chilton Twilight Drive-In Theater in Chilton.

There are plenty of examples of former drive-ins getting turned into Walmarts. (I can think of at least one in Colorado.) The Twilight is a rare (unique?) example of a former Walmart getting repurposed as a drive-in theater. Wisconsin Drive-In Theaters reported that it opened in August 2011, with a more formal Grand Opening the following May. The Twilight uses part of the former Walmart building for its the concession stand, and the parking lot is the new viewing field.

A 2016 article in the Appleton Post-Crescent wrote that Mike Radue, co-owner of the Twilight, upgraded to digital projection in 2015. He said that it sells out most June and July weekends. The appeal is obvious. “It’s just a cool experience, and there aren’t that many of them around,” Radue said.

The Twilight is open Wednesdays through Sundays during the Summer. They bake their own pizzas and send a text when yours is ready.

Just like the Saturday before, I got to see Captain Underpants. I loved the books when I was reading them with my kid, and the movie was better than I expected.

Miles Today / Total:  31 / 21816 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Captain Underpants / 84

Nearby Restaurant: One of the advantages of a short drive is that it leaves me time to have lunch at a local coffee shop such as Terra Verde Coffee. Not only do they have the coffee and pastries I need on a daily basis, they had some nice sandwiches. I picked the Turk, a turkey sandwich with cranberry walnut relish. It was like Thanksgiving between two slices of bread!

Where I Virtually Stayed: If you’re going to stay overnight in Chilton, you’ll want to stay at the Best Western Stanton Inn just a block away from the Twilight. My room had a microwave, mini-fridge, and strong wifi. There was a nice hot tub inside and a dedicated path to the McDonalds next door outside, but the breakfast buffet was so thorough that I wasn’t tempted to walk over.

Only in Chilton: You think Wisconsin, you think cheese. You think Chilton, you should think Vern’s Cheese Store. Vern and Edith Knoespel established Knoespel Distributing on March 1, 1964. Since no one could pronounce Knoespel, they changed the name in 1965 to Vern’s Cheese Company. They had one truck, rented cooler space, and ran the wholesale business out of their home. In 1967 they purchased a small warehouse in rural Chilton, and the company has been growing ever since.

Next stop: Starlite 14 Drive In, Richland Center WI.