Absent context, the front-page photograph of the June 10, 1980, issue of the Huntsville Times depicts a rather dystopian scene. Three young boys look upon a structure engulfed in flames. “HUNTSVILLE LANDMARK IS BURNED” reads the clarifying headline. That landmark was the Whitesburg Theatre, Huntsville’s first drive-in. When it was new, the Whitesburg was an out-of-the-way distraction amidst the pressures of the modern age, located beyond Huntsville’s city limits. By the time it closed in 1979 after three decades, the Rocket City had grown up around — and outgrown — the theater.
Although it’s hard to think of that area today as being remote, the Whitesburg opened on June 16, 1949, amidst forests and fields, at what was then the end of Airport Road. The first film was the Universal Pictures comedy “The Senator Was Indiscreet,” starring William Powell as a dim-witted U.S. senator with presidential ambitions, a gossipy diary and fumbling feet of clay. Tickets were 40¢ for adults and 10¢ for children over five.
Walton and Martha Fleming, along with Charles A. Crute, ran the $100,000 theater under the aegis of Acme Investments Inc., one of many. Contractors poured some 28,000 square tons on concrete at the site. The theater was laid out on a 70-degree angle, ensuring each car had an unobstructed view of the screen. The 400 parking spots were equipped with post-mounted speakers with individual volume controls. There was even a free bottle-warming service for the smallest moviegoer, so parents could enjoy a night out while avoiding the “no babysitter problem.” Playground equipment beneath the glow of the screen came soon thereafter for older fidgety youngsters to expend energy. After a few years, the company enlarged the screen to 60 feet high and 100 feet wide.
For much of the theater’s history, Robert Ross managed the snack bar, located in the center of the complex. He sourced produce and other ingredients from area farmers. “People said we had the best cheeseburgers in town,” he later recalled with pride. Drive-ins typically attracted the younger set as employees, which could present its own challenges. This was perhaps the reason behind a classified ad Ross placed in 1962 calling for a “Mature Lady” to work concessions…