Home > IL > Litchfield >

Sky View Drive In Theater

1500 N. Old Rte 66, Litchfield, IL
Phone:

East < GO > West

The Sky View opened in 1950 and it is the last vintage drive-in still operating on Route 66 in Illinois. Like most drive-in theaters in snow country it has been a seasonal operation since its opening. The theater can hold from 660-650 cars.

The original owner/operator was Frisina Enterprises, but it was later owned by Norman and Del Paul for more than 30 years. . In 2016 is was purchased by Pastro Properties Inc.

It changed hands again in the spring of 2023 when Gene Hebenstreit purchased the property. He owns Victory Lane Ford and initially planned to turn the drive-in into a parking lot for his RV dealership. His children didn't like the idea of closing the drive-in so they decided to take over operating the drive-in.

As the sign said, the theater was closed for the season when we went by in 2016. Their is an information marker just south of the sign.

I love this quote from the marker:

"It did more to upset life in Litchfield than when Walmart came to town. It was unthinkable that you would wait till dark to watch a movie and stay up so late. This was a farm community you know."

Yeah, and it was 1950 and these drive-in theaters were still a kind of new thing!

Photo(s): 2015, 2023