Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Movie and swap meet fans should visit the Redwood Drive-In while they still have the chance.
Urban Living
Posted By Babs De Lay on July 3, 2024, 4:00 AM
When's the last time you went to a drive-in movie? It's quickly becoming a form of entertainment that exists only in our memories, especially in the Salt Lake Valley as the infamous Redwood Drive-In and Swap Meet may soon face the wrecking ball.
According to the New York Film Academy, there were drive-ins in this country as early as the 1910s; however, the first "patented" drive-in was opened in 1933 in New Jersey by a man who created a mini drive-in for his mother and who sought a solution for people unable to comfortably fit into smaller movie theater seats.
His approach was an instant success and soon, more drive-ins appeared in every state of the country and around the world. Boomers like me grew up with parents packing up the car with blankets, pillows and lawn chairs and motoring over to the drive-in, sometimes for a double feature.
My mother loved the movies and would take us often. But when a movie was slightly racy, she would have us get down on the floor of the station wagon until that scene passed.
In 1949, just after WWII, the Redwood Drive-In Theaters opened on the west side of Redwood Road, just south of 3300 South. It cost $140,000 to create the 40-by-60 foot screen, drive-up speaker poles, the concession stand and amenities like a playground, BBQ pits, wading pools, a train and pony rides. The designers created space for up to 600 cars and designed a big light fixture called the "magic moonglow," which gave you the idea that there was a full moon every night and it could help you walk in the dark to the restrooms or to get popcorn.
The first movie shown there was The Big Cat. In 1990, the drive-in expanded to a six-screen theater and in 1994, a nighttime fire destroyed the main screen. But patrons continued to come, as they do today, and have enjoyed selling and shopping at the Saturday and Sunday swap meets there since 1960, with hundreds of booths each weekend to peruse.
The land (25 acres) is now owned by a Californian firm and the building company EDGEhomes plans to tear down the screens and build condos, townhomes and single-family houses there instead.
The West Valley Planning Commission last week passed the request for zoning changes despite thousands of signatures gathered by swap meet vendors and locals to preserve the property as-is. It will now be up to the City Council to approve the zoning change from a purely commercial property to one that allows housing.
I'd suggest moving the swap meet to the underutilized State Fairgrounds to preserve the culture and commerce that's been a part of the Salt Lake Valley for decades. I encourage you to go to the drive-in and the swap meet before gentrification erases this piece of our culture. There are less than 300 drive-ins left in this country with more being torn down every day.
About The Author
Babs De Lay
A full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates, Babs De Lay serves on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission. A writer and golfer, you'll find them working as a staff guardian at the Temple at Burning Man each year.
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