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HomeDrive-In TheatersSuperior Drive-In Theatre - Munising, MI

Superior Drive-In Theatre - Munising MI

Address: M-28 and Connors Rd
City: Munising
State: MI
Zip: 49862
County: Alger
Open: 1954 (6-11-54) AD
Closed: N/A
Capacity: 200 (1965,1972)
Owner History: Richard Bandeau (1957,1965)
Number of visits to this page: 11701
General Information:

From Cinema Treasures

Opened June 11, 1954, owned by Richard Bandeau. Known to have been open until at least 1962. Although often listed as Munising, eyewitness accounts confirm that it was actually in Wetmore, which is immediately east of Munising.

I have been obsessed with finding this drive-in lot since I started this site over 20 years ago. I just checked Cinema Treasures and a poster named Kenmore made a great point in a 2020 submission. M-28 was on a different route when the drive-in would have been open. The folks who have posted on my site disagreed on whether the DI was North or South of M-28. I believe the reason for that is due to the re-routing of M-28 which is not obvious looking at the current map (2022).

When you reconcile those facts, they are in a sense both right. The drive-in was SOUTH of where M-28 sits NOW, but NORTH of where it was routed THEN which is basically Prospect St. Looking at the 1953 aerial, that newer section of M-28 did not exist. The PROBLEM with the 1953 aerial is that there is no sign of a drive-in being constructed that I can see.

So, if the 1954 opening date is correct, it must have been a hurry-up job to get it up and running. Unfortunately there is a gap on historical aerials between 1953 and 1981. The other thing working against this theory is the 1959 Topo Map shows nothing in terms of a shape or designation of a drive-in theater. Topo maps USUALLY noted both as Drive-Ins were great landmarks for aviation due to their distinctive footprint as viewed from the air.

In the end, I am positive this place existed but there is still mystery surrounding the location.

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Info Updates:
4/8/2015 - kenneth latvala
The theater was north of 28 & west of conners road. Mirons Lived near it. And the Clyde Beatty circus came to the same place.
3/29/2015 - Warren Methot
Your highlights in yellow are not where it was located. It was on the other (north) side of the M28 highway. I went there as a kid. My grandparents house was on the side you have highlighted.
8/5/2014 - Dave Lempke
Yes this Drive In was in Wetmore. It was basically in my grandmother's backyard. I remember very early 60's was still operating. By mid 60's not. I would have to look at old photo's for exact location.
12/9/2010 - FA
It was in that area, but a little closer to where the mini golf is, I think. I remember going into the abandoned projection booth in the early 60's and finding a roll of unused tickets.
6/6/2004 - Mary
Yes, there was a drive-in located in Wetmore, on your right side driving east before you came to the intersection of Highway 13. I know it was there in the 50s but not sure when it closed.
 Photos:4
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Superior Drive-In Theatre - Comparison Of 1950S Topo Map To Current
Comparison Of 1950S Topo Map To Current
Superior Drive-In Theatre - 1954 Aerial
1954 Aerial
Superior Drive-In Theatre - 1959 Topo Map - No Mention Of Di
1959 Topo Map - No Mention Of Di
Superior Drive-In Theatre - My Original Analysis Of Old Aerial From 2004
My Original Analysis Of Old Aerial From 2004
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