12/19/2009 9:59:00 PM A welcome sign from a nostalgic time returns home
Matt Hinshaw/ The Daily Courier Volunteer Don Willis helps resurrect the Senator Drive-In sign Friday morning in Prescott. The sign was originally taken down on Oct. 15, 2008.
On a brisk Friday morning, the City of Prescott got a piece of its history back.
A team effort brought the Senator Drive-In sign from the scrap heap to the highway, to the delight of a small group of people.
Some might remember the roughly 13-by-20 sign falling into dry brush, and a crew cutting it into pieces in October 2008. People like Stephen Rogers and Jane Orr decided to do something about it.
The day after it fell, Rogers got a part of it in his backyard and helped orchestrate its revival.
About 80 people gave money and about 20 people gave a hand in the restoration project that took hundreds of man-hours to finish, according to Rogers.
"I think it's an important historical landmark of Prescott, the small town that it was," he said. "Prescott's lost so much of its historical nature."
The sign is now 16 feet closer to the road and sits on city land, according to Rogers, who added that a crew will add overhead floodlights but it doesn't have electricity right now.
Orr said she got a call from Rogers asking her to help with donations, 95 percent of which came from Prescott High School graduates.
"It was our childhood," she said. "Now to have it back is so wonderful and it's heartwarming that so many people were involved."
Nancy Burgess, outgoing historic preservation specialist for the city, said she was "incensed" when she heard the sign was down.
She said it was a situation where the city got a zoning complaint and a lack of understanding of the sign's significance led to its downfall.
Burgess said the city covered the permit costs for putting the sign back up. A community development department staffer said the permits cost $252.
The city also donated the sign's letter strips and letters, according to Burgess.
"It just shows what Prescott can do when it has a goal to get something done," she said.
In its heyday, the theater was a huge draw for residents and remains a fond memory for Prescott youths of days past who grew up watching movies there.
In a January 1981 interview with The Daily Courier, Claude Cline spoke about owning and running the Elks Theater and the drive-in. Cline bought the drive-in in 1954 and he said in the interview that yearly maintenance, security, taxes and other costs kept him from turning a profit on it.
He sold it to a theater chain in late 1980.
The sign sat on George Thomsen's property for years when he got a letter from the city in late 2008 ordering him to repair the dilapidated sign or take it down.
Hinton Boom Service owner Tim Hinton said he helped install the sign's new frame and lower it to its new home.
"I'm glad to see it up," he said. "It's part of Prescott's history."
Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Good Times
I think some points are getting lost. It’s not about resurrecting the past and reliving it, it’s about re-inventing it and making an experience that’s new and relevant for people now. With drive-ins, It wasn’t the picture quality or sound system or the B-movies or the signs. The drive-in was a place to go with friends and family on a Saturday night in the most familiar, secure, trusted and loved space America ever invented, your car. Key words, Friends and Family.
Childhood memories of the drive-in are the best — warm summer evenings, on the playground right under the big screen. It’s dusk and herds of kids are outfitted in pajamas, alternately running around while keeping an eye out for the cartoons to start, the signal to grab your brother’s hand and run back to the car before it got dark and before your Dad could eat all the popcorn Mom made at home and brought in a big buttery brown paper bag. It was kids falling asleep in the backseat, or on somebody’s lap until the sound of crunching tires meant the movie was over and you’re riding home to your own bed.
If a drive-in theater comes back, it’s not the movie that matters, it’s the audience. In a mega-plex we pay upwards of $9 a pop for 90 minutes of “entertainment” plus the stupendously usurious cost of food and drink just to see a screen bigger than the one in the living room. Not against movie theaters by any means, but choice is the other American value we all hold dear. Giving ourselves and future generations a choice of experiences is a gift of our imaginations and spirit. If the mega-plex crowd is what you want your town to stand for, fine. But if you want to give the next generation a shot at making their own history and their own culture, join the effort with an open heart. Sure it would take work to get a re-invented drive-in started, but what’s worth having that doesn’t take work?....and by the way, put the cross back on the hill.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Lunna
What if a tourist is driving down that road. Their going to spend their time looking for a drive in. That is hilarious!
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Steve Swanson
Responding to Parker Anderson:
According to drive-ins.com, there are 378 drive-ins still open in the U.S. ( 3 left in AZ: Scottsdale, Glendale & Globe, the Tucson drive-in just closed down) I understand your frustration on wanting a drive-in comeback. Even if you had the money and the 'passion', and then went thru all the hoops that go with building from scratch. You would still have clearance issues with the chain theaters. And believe me, they are ruthless when it comes to competition.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Stephen Rogers
We should make this clear: The article says the city "covered the permit costs", not that it paid them. The city obtained a permit from itself and merely did some internal paperwork to effect a transfer from the Community Development Department to the General Fund, and the CDD gets its money from the General Fund in the first place. No money actually left city coffers. Every penny spent for this restoration came from private donations.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
Splitting Hairs
The article says that the city paid the $252 worth of permits fees. Who gets the money the city. The city gave itself the money for a piece of paper that it generates for almost no real cost. Thus no money was actually spent by the city.
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Glad to see someone stood up to the whiner who got the sign taken down. Now how about reinstating the July 4th water wars???
Posted: Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Article comment by:
justhavetosay
The article says that the city paid the $252 worth of permits fees. Did you read the article?
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Only lived here 5 years!
Well, at least the Republic gave some indication as to the location where the sign was going back up. Certainly didn't give any location in the "Worrier"!
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Richard L
To "no name" who made a reference to the REX ARMS going out of business. No wonder you did not provide a name since the Rex Arms was best known as a house of ill repute.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Prescott Forever
"More Wasted Money" did you actually read the article. People donated the money to restore the sign. The city didn't pay for it. Excuse us for wanting to hold on to a little bit of our past history. The sign is beautiful, all the housing built on the hillside off of Senator Highway is what is an eyesore. The sign was there first.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
Regarding "More wasted money", he must not have read the article very carefully; all he saw was "historic preservation" and blew a gasket, like so many new people do on this issue. No City funds were used! Private donations made it happen! So why does that bother you?
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Huh?
I think restoring just a sign is kind of goofy. It's still a vacant lot, why put up a sign on it? I know people have fond memories of the drive-in, but the sign? It's like putting up a sign where the Pine Cone Inn was and people drive by and remember the food (?). Drive in movies died along with the corner drugstore, pinball machines in pool halls, and sports bars. No wait, sports bars are still around (just not here lol).
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Whats wrong with you Prescott people? Its not something you blame on California. Blame the people that let the sign get in the shapse that caused the Complaint.
Were you as ready for restoration when Neils went out of business, or Dan Hankins, or Mac's Market? How about Az. Mine Supply, Tenny's Feed store, the Dinner Belle or the Rex Arms?
How about the Allen Market, Westward ho dairy, or best of all, Granite Dells.What will you do when thet issue a permit to build atop Thumb Butte? These all, when mentioned bring feelings to the surface, for me......You may blame a CALIFORNIAN FOR THIS LETTER....
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Stacy Stine
Big Thanks to all those who helped in putting this piece of history back. Kudos to the City for doing the right thing - TO ALL OF YOU WHO WISH THE DRIVE IN WOULD REOPEN - The oppressive scope of government ensures that that will never happen. If all it took to reopen the drive-in was someone who would put a few 100K into equipment and maintenance and knew how to sell enough overpriced popcorn and soda to pay the electric bill and staff it would happen in a heartbeat. I know a dozen folks with the means, who would do it with little care for profit but government regulation at every level and in bizarre ways you can barely imagine make the idea impossible. Taxation, licensing, zoning, light ordinances, sound ordinances, environmental impact studies, liability exposure in a society with rampant tort abuse, the list goes on, a good hearted dreamer could spend millions of dollars and never see opening night.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Prescott Girl
Now if only we could get the Cross back up on Cross Hill.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
While I support the refurbishing of the sign 100%, I fear building a new drive-in would not work. Let's face it, long-term residents who remember Prescott as it was are a small minority now---with only us, there wouldn't be enough business to keep it running, and newer people are so spoiled by the comforts of the megaplex, they just wouldn't go. It isn't just here, drive-ins are almost extinct nationwide, maybe half a dozen in the whole country. Besides, the Hollywood studio system has changed the way it does business---movie distribution is now geared toward King Megaplex, and it has been very hard for the few remaining single or dual-screen theaters in America to even get first-run movies, and I doubt second-run movies would be a draw to a drive-in. There is a tiny theater in Cottonwood still open, trying to get first-run movies, and while they are keeping going, I hear they are having a terrible time of it (competition from the Harkins in Sedona, you know). So, let us celebrate the restoration of the sign, a historic landmark, and our memories. But there is a lot of truth to the adage, "You can't go home again".
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
More wasted money
Why is the city spending money on these things? If you want a drive in, then get one. The sign there is ridiculous. Am I going to think there is a drive in there? What a waste of money.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Mr_Bill
To Embarrassed Residence: I've only been a resident of this area since 1995 even though I’ve been raised in AZ. I was even saddened when the old sign was taken down. I realized it was a part of the history of Prescott. It’s awesome that the citizens fought back against the whiney complainer that was responsible for the sign coming down. Hoo-Raw. I would love for somebody to refurbish the drive in to an operational business. The closest drive in's are in the Phoenix area.
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Dang California opinions....
"Embarrased Residence" must be a cranky California misfit...dang another one.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Almost a native
Glad to see the sign is back and now even closer to the road. To those who dont like it, move away, we didnt want you Californians here in the first place. I hated to see Prescott history being torn down and am happy someone had the means to restore it and put it back. If I could have I would have taken the sign and put it up in my yard.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Maveth
Well, now. That's a start. Perhaps some enterprising person can come up with a plan for actually bring back the Drive-In itself.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I'd like to see a drive in make a comeback too.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I like to see people get behind a project and pitch in and get their goal accomplished. That's great teamwork. But somewhere inside me I just question the value in restoring a sign where there's nothing remaining like the drive-in. Maybe it's just me, but signs have significance. But good job anyway.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Prescott Forever
I grew up in Prescott in the 70's and 80's and I was upset when they took the sign down. I went to a lot of movies there when I was a kid and it was always more about the experience than what movie was playing. I also remember the two-screen theatre on Marina where I saw "Star Wars" for the first time and sitting in the balcony at the Elk's Theatre (and getting kicked out) back when they showed movies there. Now Prescott doesn't even have one theatre. Those who have moved here in the last 20 years don't know the Prescott many of us know. It is still a great town, but it doesn't have as much of the character that it did back when I remember it. To those who don't like the sign or any of our other past history either accept it or move.
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Stephen Rogers
It is not possible to express sufficient gratitude to everyone who helped see this project through to fruition: The PHS alumni and others who gave so generously and trusted us with their money... the local businesses who so willingly donated or discounted their materials and labor... the guys in the crew who gave so selflessly of their energy and skills to wrangle the steel and sheet metal into the completed sign... the employees of the City who were so chagrinned at the demolition of the sign and cooperated in every way they could to correct what some of us saw as a grave error. The list of names is long but some must be mentioned: Frazee Paint, Kenart Metals, Hinton Boom, Kuhles Salvage, Arizona Heating & Cooling, Prescott Department of Parks and Recreation, the PHS Half-Century Club, Prescott Historic Preservation Specialist Nancy Burgess, paint contractor Neil Jensen, Don Willis, Janie Von Gausig Orr -- a woman of apparently infinite enthusiasm. Several members of the crew absolutely insist that they remain anonymous and it is with great difficulty that I respect their wishes, for they deserve so very much credit. They know who they are and I'm sure they feel the community's gratitude. To the folks commenting to this article: Thanks to you for "getting it". That makes all the hassle feel well worthwhile.
