Pennsylvania boasts 29 drive-in theaters, and among these charming relics from yesteryear stands the oldest one in America, nestled in Lehigh County. The midstate also features four more in Dauphin County, York County, Juniata County, and Cumberland County. But let’s zero in on the granddaddy of them all, the timeless Shankweiler’s Drive-In.
Shankweiler’s Drive-In, a veritable pioneer of the drive-in experience, first flashed its silver screen in the early 1930s in Orefield—a cozy town with a population of over 8,000. Officially inaugurated in April 1934, this venerable establishment earned its stripes in The Guinness Book of Records as a marvel of rapid construction, going up in less than a year after America’s first drive-in theater in New Jersey.
Now, let’s talk evolution. This drive-in didn’t just rest on its laurels, oh no. Shankweiler’s underwent steady development over the decades. In 1948, those crackly speaker poles and car speakers were set up, bringing the movie audio right into your vehicle. Fast forward a few years, and in came the newfangled CinemaScope Screen, a snack bar that made popcorn purists purr, a projection room, and even a restroom building for those all-important intermissions.
Then we hit the 80s. Ah, the era of big hair and bigger broadcasts. In 1982, Shankweiler’s unveiled AM radio micro-vicinity broadcasting, and believe it or not, FM radio micro-vicinity sprang to life just four years later. This 89-year-old institution was also quite the avant-garde trendsetter, becoming the first to embrace FM broadcast stereo for audio. Modern upgrades followed, like Red LED Spectral recorded analog soundtrack readers, a cinema sound processor, and even a digital projector.
And then, a new chapter began in 2022 when Shankweiler’s was purchased by fresh owners who now keep the magic alive year-round.
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Under new stewardship, Shankweiler’s has been basking in the tender care of Lauren McChesney and Matthew McClanahan since November 2022. Originally owned by Paul and Susan Geissinger, this historic gem had seen better days, resembling, as McClanahan jokingly put it, a “gas station” before they swooped in for the rescue.
Both Lauren and Matthew bring with them a wealth of cinematic experience, having helmed The Moving Picture Cinema, a pop-up movie company that thrived on bringing outdoor movie events to the masses during the pandemic-induced lockdowns. They often assisted indoor theaters by organizing outdoor screenings, keeping the film reel turning even when indoor venues were shut.
With this vivid history in mind and forward-thinking owners at the helm, Shankweiler’s Drive-In is not just a flicker from the past but a shining beacon of cinema’s timeless allure. So, if you ever find yourself in Pennsylvania, rev up that engine, swing by Orefield, and enjoy an old-meets-new movie experience under the stars. After all, who can resist the charm of a drive-in?
