Tri-City Drive-In
Loma Linda, California1949-1993
Shop Tri-City Drive-In tees, long sleeve tees and hoodies. The back of the Tri-City's screen tower in Loma Linda, California, carried a mural of a skier in midair over a snowy slope, with the name in blue script across the sky. The ski runs were up the road in the San Bernardino Mountains, and locals watched for it from the highway. Browse the styles below, and the full Tri-City history is further down. We are an American small business bringing back the signs and logos of places and teams that are long gone but remembered fondly.
4 products
Tri-City Drive-In History
The Tri-City Drive-In in Loma Linda, California, began on August 20, 1939, as a drive-in without a name on Highway 99 between Colton and Redlands, with Trade Winds and The Girl Said No. That made it one of the earliest in the state. In March 1940 Boxoffice reported that Park-In Theatres of Camden, New Jersey, which held the drive-in patent, was suing its two operators. It reopened that May under new management, then went dark for several years.
It came back in January 1947 and advertised as the 99 Drive-In, after the highway. By the winter of 1948 or 1949 it had become the Tri-City, for the towns around it. It held about 700 cars. Pacific Theatres ran it in its later years.
The back of the screen tower faced the road and carried a mural that had nothing to do with the citrus groves around it: a skier in midair over a snowy slope with pine trees, smaller skiers coming down behind, and the name in blue script across the sky. The ski runs were up the road in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the mural was repainted at least once. Locals watched for it when they drove by.
The last night was September 6, 1993, with The Fugitive and Free Willy. The tower stood for several more years with the skier still on it and was gone by about 2000. The land is an empty field.