Teton Vu Drive-In

It seems like every year we lose more drive-in movie theaters. Once scattered across the country, these nostalgic landmarks are increasingly replaced by housing developments and apartment complexes. I don’t blame the property owners—several acres of land used only a few months each year for movies often hold greater value as real estate.

My grandfather owned and operated movie theaters in Smithfield and Brigham City, Utah. In his journal, he wrote about the challenges of staying profitable as a new device called the “television” began appearing in homes across town. Competing with this new, readily accessible entertainment was tough. He managed to keep the business afloat until 1980, when the entire block was sold to make way for a grocery store. I doubt the theater would have withstood the rise of VCRs and movie rentals. I have so many fond memories of the Roxy Theater in Brigham City. I’ve lost count of how many times I watched The Bad News Bears and Grease, snacking on popcorn and sipping Coke.

It was announced in Rexburg, Idaho, that the Teton Vu Drive-In would close permanently on August 24, 2024, marking the end of 75 years in operation. The current theater owners had been leasing the land for the past 15 years, aware that redevelopment was inevitable. With Brigham Young University-Idaho now enrolling over 24,000 campus students and housing in high demand, the drive-in’s fate was sealed. The land is now slated for redevelopment, with plans for 50 townhomes and 120 apartments in the first phase, ultimately leading to 410 total units upon project completion.

The Teton Vu Drive-In first opened in 1958 and has seen its share of history. It even survived the devastating Teton Dam collapse in 1976, which unleashed 80 billion gallons of water, killed 11 people, and wiped out 16,000 livestock in eastern Idaho. After the flood, the drive-in underwent renovations, widening its screen and updating its snack bar. It remained operational until 2008, sat vacant for over a decade, and reopened in 2019. The final films shown there were Despicable Me 4 and Twisters.

These photos were captured on two rolls of 120 film using my Yashica Mat-124 G while I explored the abandoned drive-in last month.

Camera: Yashica Mat-124 G (1970 – 1986)
Film: CineStill BWXX ISO 250
Process: Kodak HC-110 (1+31) 6 Min @ 20°C
Scanned: Epson V700 Photo

Camera: Yashica Mat-124 G (1970 – 1986)
Film: Kodak T-Max 400
Process: Kodak HC-110 (1+31) 6 Min @ 20°C
Scanned: Epson V700 Photo