OLD MOVIE HOUSES

Movies. While I worked today...Cindy took the grandkids and Jaime & Shawn to see Toy Story 3. Then I saw this article and it took me way back.

I remembered some of my early movie theater days...when the marquee out front had 'a million' light bulbs lighting up the area. The old Princeton theater was the first I remember. Today...I think it's still there...but it's been divided into 'several' screens instead of the 'one' big screen in the beautiful theater surroundings. Next...was the 'New Moon' theater in Vincennes. Ah...the movies I saw there. There were many a Saturday when I, and friends, paid 25 cents to go to a movie...and then just hung around inside and watched it again...still on that same 25 cents. Years later...it was where I met friends from school...and girlfriends...for a movie. Today...the New Moon has met the same fate as the Princeton theater...divided into a multi-screen complex.

Nearby our Lafayette home, in Attica, Indiana, is the Devon Theater. It would be more like the article...an old theater that's been in a small town for years and years...and restored and updated in the last 10 years...and now the centerpiece of the town. We occasionally will drive the 1/2 hour to the Devon...to watch a movie in an 'old theater' setting as we once remembered. Further away, in Monon...is a similar old theater we've gone to when the girls were younger. The prices made the long drive worthwhile.

Thinking about the old theaters also brought to mind...the old drive-in theaters. They are few and far between now...although there are again several within a short distance from us.

I first recall the 'Starlite' in Princeton...and the 'Sunset' in Evansville. Then the Vincennes drive-in just across the river...and the Lawrenceville drive-in a few miles further. After our move to Lafayette, we had the 'Eastside' drive-in...that was literally on the 'East' side of town. In it's day...it was in 'the country' on the East side of Lafayette. As the city grew and progressed...it was mainly to the East...and the drive in took up too much prime real estate. It's long gone now...but still remembered by Cindy & I.

We haven't been in years...but the Monticello drive-in, about 1/2 hour to our north, is still open and we've been there many times...years ago. They have made the move to try to attract as many people as possible...by adding a 2nd screen...and an audio system that can be heard on your in-car radio...rather than the old speaker that you used to hang on your window...and pray that you wouldn't forget when you drove off after the movies were over.

I'm glad some of these smaller cities have saved some of the old theaters...so we can relive some of our youth on occasion...and have 'something real' to show our kids and grandkids...instead of telling them old stories and showing them a few old pictures. I wish these 'mom-and-pop' places much success.

If there's one nearby 'you'...go see a movie...like the old days.


Dan