OvRiDe
09-04-2010, 12:23 AM
We lost a Tulsa icon and historical landmark today.
The beloved Admiral Twin Drive In caught fire and burned to the ground. It has been a very hot summer this year so I didn't take the time to go this year, and well now its too late.
It was built in 1951 and was one of the last if not the last "Twin" Drive In's in the country.
http://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/d/d1/htf_imgcache_43278.jpeg
It was on Historic Route 66 so it was featured on several tv shows, books, and magazines. It's biggest fame came when they filmed scenes from the movie "The Outsiders" there. So at least we have memories of it captured there.
Still running strong after 60 years it will be missed.
http://jeffmeltonstar.freedomblogging.com/files/2010/05/photo-8-route-66.jpg
It did put on quite a show on its exit from this world. The screens were 9 stories tall, so you can imagine the size of the blaze.
http://media2.kjrh.com//photo/2010/09/03/fire_new_20100903142338_640_480.JPG
All thats left...
http://media2.kjrh.com//photo/2010/09/03/Admiral_Twin_Fire_4_20100903145409_640_480.JPG
A close friend of mine's uncle owns it, and there were no insurance companies that would insure it, being it was 60 years old and made almost entirely out of wood.
There has been alot of community support banding together to setup fund raisers to try and raise money to rebuild it. There is a band named "Admiral Twin" (named after the drive in with permission from the owner) that is going to donate portions of album sales to it, there is a concert set for Oct 10th to raise money for it, and a local T-Shirt store has been selling Admiral Twin T-shirts for a while and they are going to donate portions of the sale of that shirt towards rebuilding it. I believe there is also a Facebook page setup to help organize a fundraiser as well.
I hope they are able to rebuild, but I fear they won't rebuild it the same and it will just be a couple of plain looking screens sticking out of the ground.
RIP Admiral Twin.. we hope to see you again.
The beloved Admiral Twin Drive In caught fire and burned to the ground. It has been a very hot summer this year so I didn't take the time to go this year, and well now its too late.
It was built in 1951 and was one of the last if not the last "Twin" Drive In's in the country.
http://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/d/d1/htf_imgcache_43278.jpeg
It was on Historic Route 66 so it was featured on several tv shows, books, and magazines. It's biggest fame came when they filmed scenes from the movie "The Outsiders" there. So at least we have memories of it captured there.
Still running strong after 60 years it will be missed.
http://jeffmeltonstar.freedomblogging.com/files/2010/05/photo-8-route-66.jpg
It did put on quite a show on its exit from this world. The screens were 9 stories tall, so you can imagine the size of the blaze.
http://media2.kjrh.com//photo/2010/09/03/fire_new_20100903142338_640_480.JPG
All thats left...
http://media2.kjrh.com//photo/2010/09/03/Admiral_Twin_Fire_4_20100903145409_640_480.JPG
A close friend of mine's uncle owns it, and there were no insurance companies that would insure it, being it was 60 years old and made almost entirely out of wood.
There has been alot of community support banding together to setup fund raisers to try and raise money to rebuild it. There is a band named "Admiral Twin" (named after the drive in with permission from the owner) that is going to donate portions of album sales to it, there is a concert set for Oct 10th to raise money for it, and a local T-Shirt store has been selling Admiral Twin T-shirts for a while and they are going to donate portions of the sale of that shirt towards rebuilding it. I believe there is also a Facebook page setup to help organize a fundraiser as well.
I hope they are able to rebuild, but I fear they won't rebuild it the same and it will just be a couple of plain looking screens sticking out of the ground.
RIP Admiral Twin.. we hope to see you again.