Spring Break
Nostalgia, Modernity At Drive-In
Sara Grant
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: Focus
Sitting snugly at the intersection of routes 31 and 32, found only by following roads that wind through the now-colorful fall trees, is a piece of Connecticut nostalgia that has called Mansfield home for more than 50 years.
The Mansfield Drive-in Theatre and Marketplace is one of only two drive-ins left in the state and will continue to fight the tests of time in an age of movie megaplexes and computer downloading.
The lot, which can fit 900 cars, is reminiscent of 50's-era movies like "Grease" or "The Outsiders" with dirt roads, gravel, car posts and giant white screens begging for the next feature. The maze-like layout is surrounded by tall trees and open skies, creating a more scenic atmosphere than the run-of-the-mill movie experience.
The theater was built in 1954 by two men who combined their love of construction and movies to create the modest drive-in that still stands today. Mansfield wasn't the intended home, however. The site was chosen after Coventry turned down the idea, according to drive-in owner Michael Jungden.
There was originally only one screen and, unlike most drive-in theaters of its time, this one is made of brick, not cinderblock. The choice was more expensive, but through the years it has created more of a welcoming environment and has outlasted most drive-ins in the area.
"It was hugely popular when it first started," Jungden said.
In 1985, Jungden, who has worked at the theater since he started as a manager in 1974, added two more screens and projectors that he acquired from Waterbury to complete the triple-screened theatre in use today.
Traditionally, the theater opens on the first weekend of spring and closes on Columbus Day. Between 40 and 50 thousand people pass through the theater grounds each year, Jungden said, and he regularly sees visitors from Springfield, Mass., New York and the Connecticut shoreline.
Jungden credits the longevity and success of the drive-in to the combination of the theatre and marketplace.
The Mansfield Drive-in Theatre and Marketplace is one of only two drive-ins left in the state and will continue to fight the tests of time in an age of movie megaplexes and computer downloading.
The lot, which can fit 900 cars, is reminiscent of 50's-era movies like "Grease" or "The Outsiders" with dirt roads, gravel, car posts and giant white screens begging for the next feature. The maze-like layout is surrounded by tall trees and open skies, creating a more scenic atmosphere than the run-of-the-mill movie experience.
The theater was built in 1954 by two men who combined their love of construction and movies to create the modest drive-in that still stands today. Mansfield wasn't the intended home, however. The site was chosen after Coventry turned down the idea, according to drive-in owner Michael Jungden.
There was originally only one screen and, unlike most drive-in theaters of its time, this one is made of brick, not cinderblock. The choice was more expensive, but through the years it has created more of a welcoming environment and has outlasted most drive-ins in the area.
"It was hugely popular when it first started," Jungden said.
In 1985, Jungden, who has worked at the theater since he started as a manager in 1974, added two more screens and projectors that he acquired from Waterbury to complete the triple-screened theatre in use today.
Traditionally, the theater opens on the first weekend of spring and closes on Columbus Day. Between 40 and 50 thousand people pass through the theater grounds each year, Jungden said, and he regularly sees visitors from Springfield, Mass., New York and the Connecticut shoreline.
Jungden credits the longevity and success of the drive-in to the combination of the theatre and marketplace.
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