Main Page / About Us What's New Map of Open Drive-Ins Master List of Drive-Ins in:   Delaware • Maryland   Virginia • eastern W. Va. Thanks to... • Contact us Links

Powell Valley Drive-In
VA 610 about 3 miles east of Big Stone Gap, Va.
years of operation: 1952-80
currently: warehouses, truck parking

Notable in that its movies were actually projected onto the side of a hay barn -- that is, until it burned down during a showing of the 1964 war movie 633 Squadron. Reportedly, a tossed cigarette ignited the hay and sent the barn up in flames at the moment that a plane crashed and burned on the screen! In 1979 it changed name to Viking Drive-In, after the local high school's athletic teams.

Below is part of a 1969 aerial photo showing the drive-in with the regular screen that was built in place of the old barn.

   Got some additional information, or some pictures or stories about this drive-in
   you'd like to share? Email me -- thanks!