Saco Drive-In Theater: HABS/HAER Photography and Research

I had the great delight in early 2023 to conduct the HABS/HAER photography and research of the former Saco Drive-In Theater, located on U.S. Route 1 in Saco, Maine. This historic theater was first opened in 1939, the first in Maine and among the earliest in the nation. After a hiatus during WWII, the theater was improved with new facilities during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and survived well into the 2000s. In 2013 the theater made the transition to digital, but declining audiences led to its closure in 2022. The property was sold for redevelopment, but the Acquaboggan Water Park across the street purchased the screen and equipment, and theater lives on in its new location.