Category Archives: Oklahoma

Mar. 2: Winchester Drive In, Oklahoma City OK

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It’s Day 61 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, and I did something a little different. For the first time on this trip, I added a few miles just to make sure I can schedule a drive-in visit on a night of the week when it’s active. The good news is that going directly from Clarendon TX to the Winchester Drive In in Oklahoma City actually saved me a little time, although I’ll lose it when I double back a little for my next stop.

The Winchester arrived late to the drive-in scene in Oklahoma City. When it opened in 1968, There were over a dozen competitors, including such neat names as the Bomber, the Riviera, and the Sooner Twin. Now it’s the lone survivor in town. A tornado that tore the roof off the concession stand and projection building in June 2013, ruining a brand-new digital projector. It took until October 2013, but the place reopened as good as ever.

One more thing: That two-story neon cowboy on the Winchester sign? His name is Chester.

The Winchester was dark on this Thursday night, and its Facebook page says it’ll open for the season again this April. I’m expecting better results on my next stop on a Friday night.

Miles Today / Total:  219 / 8082 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 37

Nearby Restaurant: The Garage was a fine place to grab some burgers and beer, especially considering that it was a short two-block walk from my hotel (see below). Not only could I watch some sports on the big-screen TVs and play a few arcade games, it could safely return to my room without needing to drive. If you know what I mean, and I think you do.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There are a cluster of hotels just on the other side of I-240 from the Winchester, and I chose to stay at the Home2 Suites by Hilton. It was my first time at that brand, and I was impressed. Even though it’s designed for extended stays, the room and its microwave and fridge were handy even for a one-night visit. And microwaving my breakfast made me feel like I was home.

Only in Oklahoma City: Oklahoma City is home to the American Banjo Museum, a $5 million, world-class 21,000 square foot facility honoring the rich history, vibrant spirit and unlimited future of the banjo. The museum’s collection contains more than 400 instruments, recordings, film, video, printed music, instructional materials, ephemera and memorabilia associated with the banjo, and of course, the largest collection in the world of banjos on public display.

Next Stop: Chief Drive In Theatre, Chickasha OK.

Feb. 27: Corral Drive-In, Guymon OK

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Corral Drive-In logo projected on its screen at night

photo from the Corral Drive-In Facebook page

It’s Day 58 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. The drive from Las Vegas NM took a solid four hours to the heart of the Oklahoma panhandle and the Corral Drive-In in Guymon.

The weather’s pretty crazy now, grazing 70 degrees in February. I know you can’t count on drive-in weather this time of year, but I was still a little sad to see yet another closed for the season.

When the Corral opened around the late 1960s, it was the second drive-in in Guymon. The 54 had opened in 1949 and would continue operating into the 1970s. On the other hand, the Corral made it into the 1980s before closing, then was revived in 2009. I love drive-in revivals!

The Corral pizzeria and drive-in are closed for the season, but the RV Park is open year-round. Would it have made more sense for me to use an RV for this odyssey instead of staying at a different hotel every night? Would it have made it through the twisty, snowy mountain roads of a few days ago? I guess I’ll never know.

Miles Today / Total:  257 / 7683 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 37

Nearby Restaurant: One of the closest places specialized in chicken, always one of my favorites. (The chicken statue was a dead giveaway.) That’s why I stopped at Pollo El Ranchero close to downtown Guymon. Yummy grilled chicken at a reasonable price.

Where I Virtually Stayed: Well waddaya know! For the second straight night, I had a great stay at a great price at a Super 8. Friendly people, a clean room, lots of TV channels, and biscuits and gravy at breakfast.

Only in Guymon: I travelled on one of Guymon’s claims to fame on the way to the Corral. The east-west stretch of US Highway 412 between Boise City and Guymon includes a 47.7-mile straight shot. RoadsideAmerica calls it one of the longest straight roads in the US.

Next Stop: Tascosa Drive-in Theater, Amarillo TX.

Indiana, Oklahoma drive-ins survive storms

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Winchester_FacebookWNDU, South Bend IN’s news leader, ran a story about the storm that took out one of the two screens at the Melody Drive-In (Knox). There’s a nice video of the damage and reaction, but I wasn’t able to embed it here. The good news is that the Melody re-opened last weekend, and the owners hope to rebuild the damaged screen by July 4.

And Oklahoma City’s last drive-in, the Winchester, was also hit hard by storms according to a story in The Oklahoman. Winds damaged the theater’s new digital projection system and half the marquee, although the screen and the “historic neon cowboy sign” survived. Owner Lindy Shanbour says that insurance should pay for most of the repairs, and the Winchester will bounce back. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but we will reopen,” he said. “You get this in your blood, and you can’t get it out. I can’t tell you the feeling it gives me.”

I’m always a little shaken when storms and drive-ins mix it up. One of my favorites growing up was the drive-in in Sedalia MO, apparently called the Highway 50 or just Sedalia. I’m fuzzy on that, but I remember that it was in the median where US 50 split into east- and west-bound lanes just west of town. I always thought that it was so cool to have a drive-in in a highway median. And I also remember when I saw the news reports and photos in 1980 that showed how a tornado had blown it to shreds. The drive-in closed after that, and now not only does the highway not split any more, but it looks like there’s an indoor theater where the drive-in used to be. So it’s great news that the Melody and the Winchester are coming back.