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804. Pensacola's Palm Drive-in Theater 1956

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Very few people today realize there used to be a drive-in theater located at the intersection of Davis Highway and Fairfield Drive. The so-called drive-in theaters were the direct result of the invention of the automobile. In fact by 1930, Escambia County, Florida boasted almost 11,000 cars in its vicinity. One year later the citizens had dedicated their tax money to the building of the Pensacola bay bridge that opened for automobile traffic and the pleasures of Gulf of Mexico. During the Great Depression, government financed projects had been introduced in Roosevelt's New Deal that would lead to the building of highways throughout America. Another innovation of the 1930's was the "drive-in" restaurant that could now accommodate the new automobile generation followed closely by the drive-in theater.


By the 1950's, the drive-in theater had become a mainstay in American culture before it would eventually fade out by the 1970's. As for the Palm Theater at Davis and Fairfield (Pottery Plant Road), it would open for business on May 13, 1953 featuring James Whitmore in "Because You're Mine." During its first two years it was managed by M. N. McCoy followed by J. J. Scherer in 1955. All was well in the drive-in industry in Pensacola until the following year when disaster struck on September 24, 1956 in the form of Hurricane Flossy!


Flossy would strike Pensacola with 88-mph sustained winds and an overwhelming 11 inches of rain. The storm left over 3,000 Pensacola homes without telephone service, undermined the foundations of the Pensacola Bay Bridge, destroyed the Palm Drive-in Theater, and damaged the Pensacola Garden Club at the Interstate Fairgrounds on old Pottery Plant Road (merged with Fairfield).


During this period of time, the "Highland Terrace" housing on the southwest intersection of 9th Avenue and Fairfield was relatively new. By 1953, the seventh house constructed in the project was at 220 East Highland Drive with nary a pine tree in sight anywhere. Also, the shopping center on the southeast corner of Davis and Fairfield had not been built yet as well. Therefore, the family of Francis "Bubba" Woodrow Stone had a clear view of the Palm Theater's huge screen from their dining room window. As the strength of the wind mounted Bubba knew it was only a matter of time! Sitting in his lap at the table was his young six-year-old daughter Debbie when suddenly both could see the screen begin swaying and finally topple down with a crash! Afterwards, the owner of the theater chose to forfeit rebuilding the screen but instead decided to close the drive-in altogether. Perhaps, he didn't have insurance on the structure or perhaps after three years in business he was not making a profit so took the insurance and opted out.


Picture courtesy of Frank Hardy Jr


Path of Hurricane Flossy in September 1956


Hurricane Flossy Pensacola News Journal 9-25-1956


Pensacola News Journal 9-25-1956


Pensacola News Journal 9-25-1956


Twinair Drive-in on Navy Blvd,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953


Palafox Drive-in at 4319 North Palafox Street,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953


Ranch Drive-in on Pace Blvd,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953


Hi-Way Drive-in at the Circle,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953


Warrington Drive-in on Navy Blvd,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953


Palm Drive-in on Davis Street,

Pensacola News Journal 5-13-1953







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