Ford-Wyoming Drive-In
Drive-in theater in Dearborn, Michigan, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ford-Wyoming Drive-In is a drive-in theater located in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1950, it features five screens. The property previously had nine, leading it to be declared the largest drive-in theater in the world.
Dearborn, Michigan
United States
Entrance, October 2023 | |
 Interactive map of Ford-Wyoming Drive-In | |
| Address | 10400 Ford Road Dearborn, Michigan United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42.3319°N 83.1603°W |
| Capacity | 2500[1] |
| Type | drive-in theater |
| Screens | 5 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1950 |
| Opened | May 19, 1950 |
| Years active | 1950-present |
History
Clark Enterprises built the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in 1950. The theater opened for business on May 19 of that year, with a double-bill of The Man from Colorado and Road to Rio as its first attraction.[2] Upon opening, the drive-in had the capacity for 750 cars.[3]
Wayne Amusements purchased the drive-in in 1981 and expanded it by continuing to add screens.[4] At its peak, the Ford-Wyoming had nine screens and a capacity of over 3,000 cars, leading it to become the largest drive-in theater in the world.[2][3]
In 2006, the owners sold the land on which the sixth through ninth screens were located.[5] This decision was made due to the rise of home-theater systems and a decline in population of nearby Detroit.[6] The five screens have remained operational since this downsizing.[6] This has reduced the overall capacity to 2,500 cars. It is one of nine remaining drive-in theaters in the state of Michigan, and the only one in Metro Detroit.[1] As of 2019, the theater is owned by Charles Shafer.[6]