By Ken Drenten

Lynn Auto Theatre open since 1937, is the oldest drive-in movie theatre in Ohio.

The Lynn Auto Theatre, at the junction of SR 250 and SR 21 just northwest of Strasburg, is the oldest drive-in movie theatre in Ohio and the second oldest continuously operating drive-in theatre in the world. It’s also one of the few grass-surface drive-in theatres in the world.

Construction of the theatre started in 1935, and the theatre opened in spring 1937 as Boyer’s Auto Theatre. A restaurant, gasoline filling station, golf driving range and arcade were located at the site prior to the theatre’s opening.

The business was owned and operated by Roland Boyer in the ‘30s and ‘40s. In spring 1948, Ward Franklin and his son-in-law Ray McCombs purchased the theatre, changing the name in honor of McCombs’ daughter, Judy Lynn. The restaurant, gas station, golf range and arcade were closed in the mid-‘50s.

In fall 1957, Richard R. Reding and his son Richard W. (Dick) and wife Eunice Reding purchased the theatre. By the 1980s, the Redings owned and operated 12 drive-in theatres in Northeast Ohio. The family is now in its fourth generation of running the Lynn theatre and others.

Updates to the theatre have included a second screen and speaker upgrades in 1967; digital sound system and upgraded transmitters in 1996; projection system upgrades in 2001; tower and interior upgrades in 2002. New digital projection and sound processing upgrades were completed on both screens in 2012-13, as well as remodeling of the concession stand and classic video arcade areas.

By the way, the world’s oldest operating drive-in theatre is Shankweiler’s Drive-In, located in Orefield, Pa., near Allentown. It opened in 1934 and was the second drive-in theatre to open in the U.S. 

For Lynn Auto Theatre showtimes and information, call (330) 878-5797, or go to http://www.lynndrivein.com/index.html. (Source: Lynn Auto Theatre website)

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Ken Drenten is creator and manager of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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