The Fountain Valley Drive-In is the subject of today's photo. It's hard to find good images of this place, which is why I'm swiping this crummy little one from the web.Located on the west side of Brookhurst, this theater opened in the 1960s and closed in 1984.
Recent additions to Yesterland.com include retrospectives on the Disneyland Railroad's passenger train, the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through, (which may be coming back soon), the burning settler's cabin on Tom Sawyer's Island, and a local Disney project that never quite panned out: Newport Coast Villas.
This summer, the Ralph B. Clark Interpretive Center in Buena Park has a new exhibit about the prehistoric horses and camels that once roamed this area. The exhibit is the work of paleontologist Lisa Babilonia and young volunteer/padawan paleontologist Charlie Epting (author Chris Epting's son). KOCE's "Real Orange" did a feature about the exhibit which ran tonight and will run again tomorrow at 8:00 am. (Yes, I know this is technically local PRE-history.)
I remember Fountain Valley Drive-in! I don't remember the fountains though. I think they also had a playground for the kids?
ReplyDeleteI heard that you can go to the fair grounds in Costa Mesa where they have a temporary drive-in with a blow up screen! Silly! it's probably fun but it's not the same as a real drive-in.
PS. Most people that are raised in Orange County don't call Orange County "The O.C." The O.C." is a reference to the television show. Orange County is Orange County! Do a little research and you will see what I mean.
Notice that I don't use the phrase "the O.C." If you ever catch me doing that, it's a typo or a joke.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, use "O.C." (no "the") as an abbreviation in print, and have done so for at least 20 years. I've found this a fairly common practice among others as well.
Although I'm not a native, (we moved here when I was an infant), I was *definitely* raised in Orange County. I went from preschool through grad school here, worked for local businesses, non-profits, government agencies and campaigns.
Aside from my first eight months, spent in Santa Barbara County, I'm about as local as they come.
Mom moved us (my brothers and I) to OC in 1972, and the first place she rented for us was at Fountain Plaza Condominiums across Brookhurst from the Drive In. I distinctly remembering its pink and blue neon glow at nighttime peeking over the treetops. I somewhat remember the Paulo Drive-In in Costa Mesa as well, as Mom eventually bought a home there. And from that house I remember being able to see the blue neon of the Van De Kamp's windmill on Bristol, just off the 405. Not much of the old Orange County is left. I just found your blog today thru a googling of the FV Drive-in....thanks, Chris! ~Bill
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