Memri Drive-In
Milan, Illinois1948-1986
Browse Memri Drive-In tees, long sleeve tees and hoodies. The Memri in Milan, Illinois, was the first drive-in in the Quad Cities, and its name came from a contest that drew about 2,600 entries. The winning word was built from Moline, East Moline, Milan and Rock Island. Pick a style below, then read the full Memri history further down. Every shirt is printed to order in the USA and carries the memories of bygone places and teams.
4 products
Memri Drive-In History
The Memri Drive-In in Milan, Illinois, opened on July 2, 1948, on U.S. 67, with Randolph Scott in Abilene Town. It was the first drive-in in the Quad Cities. Its name came out of a contest that drew about 2,600 entries. Mrs. Thomas L. Eyre won $100 and a free pass with a word built from the area's towns: Moline, East Moline, Milan and Rock Island. Its sister theater in Silvis, the Semri, was named on the same plan.
The opening ad sold the place to families on price, saying it cost less than a baby sitter. It promised two snack bars and a fireworks show. A 1953 postcard shows the back of the tower lit at night, with a blue rearing horse on an orange field, and a 1950 ad draws a horse and rider in the same spot. An 18-hole miniature golf course opened in May 1950. Capacity figures run from 600 to 962 cars, depending on the year and the source.
Redstone Drive-In Theatres took over in August 1964. In the early 1970s a Showcase Cinemas indoor theater went up on part of the lot, which cut the parking. The Memri closed on August 31, 1986, and was torn down. A grocery store and its parking lot now cover the ground.