In addition to highlighting West Virginia’s operating historic theaters, the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail also remembers former Trail members that have closed or been lost to demolition. Since the Trail began in 2010, closures have included:
- Grafton Drive-In, which opened in 1949, located in Grafton, Taylor County
- Jungle Drive-In, which opened in 1953, located in Parkersburg, Wood County
- Mt. Zion Drive-In, which opened in 1945, located in Mount Zion, Calhoun County
- Warner’s Drive-In, which opened in 1953, located in Franklin, Pendleton County
Why are so many drive-in theaters in West Virginia (and across the country) going out of business? A May 2016 article in the State Journal, “Lights Out: Technology Relegating Many Drive-in Theaters to Memory Lane,” explains the situation.
