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Home > New York Drive-ins by Region > Lake Ontario Region > Monroe County Drive-ins > Rochester Drive-in

Rochester Drive-in
Status: Demolished
Location: 1200 Scottsville Rd, Rochester, NY 14624
Screens: 1
Capacity: 900 cars
Original owner: Unknown, bought by Elliott H. Press sometime in the early 1960s.
Opening date: May 29, 1942
Final season: 1982
What's there now: The Towers Airport Business Park.

This page was last updated on December 30, 2009.

The Rochester Drive-in was Rochester's first drive-in theatre. It wasn't called the "Rochester" until after the Central Drive-in opened in 1946. From its grand opening on May 29th, 1942, until the opening of the Central in 1946, the Rochester Drive-In was known simply as "Drive-in Theatre."

According to the International Motion Picture Almanac, the Rochester originally held 750 cars. It was located at 1200 Scottsville Road across from the Rochester International Airport (or Municipal Airport as it was called then.) The first show was "Look Who's Laughing" starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Fibber McGee and Molly.

-- Courtesy of Travis Beaver

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Topo Map from 1995, courtesy of TerraServer USA. Aerial image from 1956, courtesy of the Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District. Aerial image from 2006, courtesy of Google Earth. Aerial close-up image from 2006, courtesy of Google Earth.
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Grand opening tonight article and picture from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle on May 29, 1942. Rochester Drive-in program from August 1942. Rochester Drive-in program from August 1942. Rochester Drive-in program from August 1942.
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Rochester Drive-in ad from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle in 1942, courtesy of Charles Bruss. Rochester Drive-in screen, courtesy of Travis Beaver. Business park at site of former Rochester Drive-in from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen. Office building at site of former Rochester Drive-in from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen.
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Back wall of former Rochester Drive-in snackbar from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen. North wall of former Rochester Drive-in snackbar from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen. South wall of former Rochester Drive-in snackbar from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen. Front wall and projection windows of former Rochester Drive-in from 2007, courtesy of Rick Cohen.

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