Drive-In Theaters

We bring back Memories you didn’t know you had

If you grew up in the Carpentersville area in the 60s and 70s you remember the Dundale Drive-In Theater.  It was so much fun going there, first with my parents and later with friends.  We spent many nights at the Drive-In and loved every minute of it.  The playground up by the big screen, the refreshments, the speakers hanging from the car window.  What memories do you have of the Drive-In Theaters of the past?

If you have drive-in theater images to share please contact us using the contact form on the home page.

The Dundale Drive-In opened about 1960, located on Route 72, near Route 25.  The single screen drive-in was operated by the Chicago-based M & R Theatres chain during the 1970’s.  The Dundale Drive-In closed in the very early-1980’s.

It later was used as a used car lot, after everything but its marquee was demolished.  As of a few years ago, the site has been completely replaced by industrial buildings.

The Starview Drive-In was located at 21 Southwicke Drive, technically Streamwood, IL.

This drive-in opened in 1950, located on Route 59 near Lake Street, Streamwood, to the southeast of Elgin.  It had a capacity for 500 cars. By its last years in operation, it was showing pornographic films.  (Which were the cause of several car crashes on Route 59, as the skin flicks on the large screen were clearly visible to drivers).

The Starview Drive-In closed in 1984 and was allowed to fall into ruin until it was demolished a decade or so later.  Townhomes have since been built on the site of the drive-in.