Paul Bunyan Drive-In Theatre Hubbard Lake MI

Info Updates:

7/23/2013 - Betty Godfrey Bunce

I lived across from the Drive-In in the 1950's and early 60's. I must have seen almost every movie that they showed. I remember the horn's blowing when the picture went out and seeing kids sneaking in through the Apple orchard that was across from me.

2/18/2013 - Wayne Coleman

I ran the projectors at the Paul Bunyan Drive-In Theatre the summers of 1965 and 1966. The last two summers the drive-in was open. In the fall of 1966 Lou Kramer and myself took the screen down and the theatre was closed - the end of an era. In July of 1956 a waterspout storm blew down the screen and for a few weeks the community was without entertainment. My neighbor, Milo MacKenzie donated a number of majestic pines for the reconstruction of the screen from his pine grove located a mile north and east of the drive-in. For this generous gift the MacKenzies were given a lifetime pass to the movies at the drive-in. The movies were projected by a pair of old Super-simplex carbon arc projectors that broke down often. When the film broke car horns could be heard honking while the projectionist would frantically try to splice the film together and restart the show. We always showed the cartoon again at the end of the feature. Lou Kramer and his wife Hazlett were very civic minded and spent much of their time and money bettering the lives of local native Americans, as well as preserving their history.

1/15/2010 - Mark Grenzicki

Mr. Lou Kramer and his wife Mrs. Kramer (she lived over to be over 100 years old ) ran the drive-in,gift shop, and realestare office, and was a notary.Her favorite saying to me was "never say good bye to someone my age".
My parents bought their cottage from Mr. Kramer and as kids we would walk up to the gift shop and visit with them.
He told my Dad that he closed the drive-in because durring cowboy movies kids would run the cows from the farm into the drive-in an also put cherry bombs in the toilets. Mrs. Kramer came into the Sugar & Spice about once a month (which I owned)and never had a bad word to say about anyone.
Thanks for the memories!!

9/23/2009 - THOMAS BEIGHEY

WHERE ARE THE REAL PICTURE'S BEFORE IT GOT HIT BY THE STORM IN THAT YEAR?

From the webmaster:

I wish I had some, if you know anyone who does, please let me know.

3/5/2008 - Unknown

My great grandfather settled in Hubbard Lake in the 1880's and my grandfather, Frank Larson, built the Hubbard Lake Tavern or Stone Tavern across the street from Lou Kramer's real estate office and the drive-in. We referred to this intersection as "Four Corners". We lived in Farmington Hills, Michigan and spent our summers between 1950 - 1970 visiting my grandfather and other relatives in the area. I regret that we never saw a movie there but it was always a landmark that I shall miss, along with the Stone Tavern!

3/27/2007 - Julie Mathewson

FYI...the Hubbard Lake Drive-in re-opened in approximately 1975 or 1976, for only one season, I believe, then closed back up permanently. Lots of kids around then...those were the days!!!

12/28/2006 - Marc Vlasic

I have been coming Hubbard Lake since 1954 and vividly remember the glorious Paul Bunyan drive-in. We had a cabin on the east shore of Hubbard Lake in Scott Park, lost through a shady business deal, and used to walk down the road to a poster fastened to a tree to see what movies were playing. The drive home at night was always exciting because in the 1950's there weren't many people there and the tall, thick forests of trees made the drive more memorable. Someone ought to rebuild the Paul Bunyan.

4/23/2004 - Carol Stevens

I moved to Hubbard Lake about 18 years ago with my husband and our son. My family have been summer visitors since 1941. Every time we came up north my brother and I would pester our parents to take us to the Paul Bunyan Drive-In. The playbill for the drive-in was posted on a tree in our subdivision, Scott Park. A walk to check out the coming attractions was always one of our first activities upon arriving. I remember that the movies would speed up, so that by the end of a John Wayne movie, he would sound like Shirley Temple. Then there was the refreshment stand where condiments cost extra. Sometimes fog would roll in off the lake, obscuring the screen and making the drive home hazardous. I never go by that corner without remembering the Paul Bunyan Drive-In and its part in the wonderful summers I spent at Hubbard Lake.

4/23/2004 - Alcona County Library

The building where Caledonia Township Branch Library is located is the former Joy Gift Shop building opened 1946 thru 1982; by Lou and Hazlett Kramer, retired business persons, who became an integral part of the area. They ran a real estate office, and had a giftshop offering drug and health sundries. They were very active and took the lead in most of the community affairs. They were both born in 1890s and she lived to be over 100. The drive-in was started by Ross Mulholland, a distinguished member of th WJR Radio team. The Kramers purchased it in 1949 and closed it in 1968. The location of the field was East of the Joy Gift Shop. This property was listed in the 1977 Plat Book For Alcona County, Caledonia Township, as Hubbard View Est. Hubert Road is the division of Alpena County to the North and Alcona County to the South. The Screen was just East of the Joy Gift Shop, facing East. There was a small snack shop and concession stand beneath the screen, and in the space in front of the screen were benches and places for the people to set up folding chairs etc. The viewers sat in their cars, no elevation, just up to the posts holding the speakers. Very primitive but a great draw for the vacationers and residents of this rural area. Alpena at the time had no drive-ins, I am not certain whether Oscoda had any, possibly with Wurtsmith AFB being located there, it may have been possible. Anyway, it was quite an attraction.

2/11/2004 - Vern Ryan

The Paul Bunyan Drive-In, once owned by Lou Kramer(God rest his soul), was actually in Alcona County--not Alpena County. It was a great place to go when the sun went down. Visited Hubbard Lake for a couple of hours in October 2003. Hasn't change much in almost fifty years. The drive-in is now gone and overgrown with weeds. My aunt and uncle (John and Amy Ross) lived on the West shore about half a mile from the damn. John Hering and his family still live next door.

2/2/2004 - WaterWinterWonderland

Although the Paul Bunyan screen tower was destroyed by a tornado in early April of 1956, ads began appearing within a couple of weeks in the paper stating that "The Show Must Go On," with movies listed. So, it is clear that the Paul Bunyan lived on after the destruction of the tower.

2/2/2004 - Alpena News

TWISTER FLATTENS DRIVE-IN SCREEN - The tornado which struck the Hubbard Lake area at 2:50 p.m. Sunday left only the Norway pine supports standing after it hit the screen at the Paul Bunyan Drive-in theater. Owner Lou Kramer, who said he thought his nearby home was "going to go, too", reported that the twister toppled the screen after ripping out concrete moorings which had been embedded six feet in the ground. Several steel cables were ripped loose, others were snapped, and the force of the blast straightened out hooks on steel rungs which were sunk in the ground to secure guy wires. The screen measured 45 by 70 feet. Kramer said, and the losss was partially covered by insurance. Clean-up was begun this morning, and a new screen will be erected as soon as possible. The ticket booth at the theater was moved six inches, and a 20 by 20 sign at the east end of the property-welcoming visitors to the drive-in and Hubbard Lake-was blown down.

11/4/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

The location of this drive-in has been reported to be on the southeast corner of Hurbert and Hubbard Lake Rd. Although this would appear to be correct from the topo and the aerial photo, the actual cross streets is Hurbert (also known as Hubert, depending on what sign you read!) and Bear Springs, adjacent to what is now the Hubbard Lake Library. This was per 3 local residents of Hubbard Lake. So, although the maps and topos are POSITIONALLY CORRECT, as in the lot was at the intersection as it appears from the air, Hurbert and Hubbard Lake roads are actually a mile away from where the DI actually was, which is in downtown Hubbard Lake.

10/16/2003 - MichiganDriveIns.com

The almanacs, which have been known to be inaccurate, indicate there were two drive-ins in Hubbard Lake between 1967 and 1972. They were the Sky-Vue (or Sky-View) Drive-In, and the Paul Bunyan Drive-In. These two may have been one and the same, it is still unclear at this point. The more-accurate Theatre Catalog lists only one in the 1952 issue, the Paul Bunyan Sky-Vue D.I.

10/14/2003 - Cactus Bob (Bobby Peacock)

Thanks to a former Hubbard Lake resident, I found the site of the Paul Bunyan Drive-in in Hubbard Lake. It was at the southeast corner of this intersection (Hubbard Lake Road and Hurbert Road).

1/6/2003 - MichiganDriveIns.com

The Paul Bunyan screen tower, in Hubbard Lake, was destroyed by a tornado on Sunday, July 1, 1956. The news clipping I have said they were going to rebuild. (Dave Rouleau 1-16-00)

HomeDrive-In TheatersPaul Bunyan Drive-In Theatre - Hubbard Lake, MI

Paul Bunyan Drive-In Theatre - Hubbard Lake MI