Theatre Catalog: Located one mile northeast of town on Route 81, the Caro opened May 13, 1950. Single features are mainly shown, but on Friday and Saturday there are two. A giant screen tower near the entrance is beautifully decorated with rose, green, and yellow neon. The 20' attraction board is lighted with yellow flashing border lights, in addition to the illumination behind the copy. The boxoffice is knotty pine and includes office space for the manager. The overhanging roof partially shelters car-hops on bad nights and is neon-lighted. A combined concession-projection building contains rest rooms on each side. The snack bar counter is knotty pine. A well-equipped childrens' playground has been set up under the broad screen. Reference Data - Owner & Operator: Ashmun Theatres - Size of lot: 12 acres - Car capacity: 500 - Cost of building: $40,000 - Cost of equipment: $25,000 - Generators: Century Electric Co. - Rewinders: GoldE Mfg. Co. - In-Car Speakers & Sound, Projection Lamps & Machines: RCA - Sign & Marquee: Horstman Sign Co. - Sign Letters: Wagner Sign Service Inc. 10" Red Plastic - Supply Dealer: "Ernie" Forbes Theatre Supply (Theatre Catalog 1950-51)

News Article: Caro Drive-In Theatre To Open Saturday - Jay Tomsen is Manager of the New Project, One of Finest of Comparable Size in Michigan - Ashmun Theatres of Caro have announced details for a gala grand opening of the new Caro Drive-In Theatre on Saturday. The outdoor theatre is located one mile northeast of Caro on M-81. Jay Thomsen will manage the new theatre under the stars. The new drive-in theatre is one of the finest in Michigan of comparable size and was planned by experts to give patrons the utmost pleasure while viewing movies from their cars. A giant screen tower located near the entrance features a mammoth, bright, tilted screen with a picture size of 40 feet by 50 feet. The front of the screen tower is beautifully decorated with neon lighting and has a lighted changeable letter attraction board 20 feet long, visable from either direction on M-81. Wide, convenient entrances and exits and wide aisles leading to the various ramps have been constructed. the ramps themselves are scientifically designed so that every car will be parked to insure a straight-on unobstructed view of the giant screen from any seat in the car. The theatre will accommodate 530 cars. A complete RCA drive-in theatre sound system has been installed with handsome individual in-car speakers. A large building located in the center of the parking area houses the projection room; large, clean, modern restrooms; and an ultra-modern snack bar where delicious food and beverages will be served at reasonable prices. The newest and finest Brenkert projection machines with rock steady picture performance and unexcelled screen brillance have been installed in the large projection room. A spacious, well-equipped, free playground has been constructed for the kiddies. The entire area in front of the screen tower has been beautifully landscaped. The theatre will be open nightly, rain or clear, with two complete shows each night starting at dusk and will feature a midnight show every Saturday. Free souvenirs will be given to the first 1,000 cars on opening night. With the exception of the screen tower structure, which was erected by Johnson Construction Co. of Birmingham, the entire theatre was under the direct supervision of Alvin Seeley. Mr. Seeley was in charge of all construction, the layout of the ramps, the grading, etc. In 1947 Mr. Seeley constructed the Twilite Drive-In in Saginaw in a record of six weeks time. The Twilite, which is one of the largest drive-in theatres in the state, is owned by Seeley and Ashmun Theatres. (Tuscola County Advertiser 5/12/50)

News Article: Caro Drive-In Wins U.S. Merit Award - Ashmun Theatres of Caro recieved official notification during the past week that the Caro Drive-In Theatre has been selected along with 16 other drive-in theatres in the United States to recieve national recognition, the bronze merit award plaque. The merit award, the motion picture industry's Seal of Approval, is a coveted honor awarded annually to only those theatres constructed during the previous year which represent the finest in construction excellence, layout, and scientific planning in relation to the patronage served. According to J.M. (Jay) Thomsen, manager of the Caro Drive-In Theatre, there were 950 new drive-in theatres constructed during the year 1950 in the United States, all of which were eligible for consideration for the 17 Merit Awards. Mr. Thomsen said the Merit Awards have the same significance to the theatres of the nation as the Academy Awards have to the motion picture stars in Hollywood. Several weeks ago, the Caro Drive-In recieved a two-page pictoral presentation in the Theatre Catalog, annual authorative reference book of the theatre industry. Nineteen other drive-in theatres and 37 roofed theatres were similarly presented. Selection of the Merit Award theatres were made by the Technical Advisory Board of Jay Emanual Publications, Inc., of Philidelphia. The bronze Merir Award plaque will be formally presented to the theatre in the near future. (Cass City Chronicle 8/24/51)

News Article: Season drive-ins closings....M-53 at Bad Axe and Tawas at East Tawas, Ashmun and Kitchen brothers.... (Boxoffice Magazine 11/16/59)

News Article: Jae Kitchen Killed In Track Accident - Caro - A motorcycle accident Saturday evening at the Tuscola County Fair Association took the life of one of Caro's best known citizens and fair association president, Jae Kitchen. Kitchen was killed when he apparently stepped onto the edge of the dirt track and was struck by a motorcycle. His body was thrown 35 feet down the track. (Saginaw News 6/1/69)

News Article: Drive-In Opens At Caro - The Caro Drive-In Theatre will begin the new season Friday, March 24. Henry Woldan returns as manager of the theatre. Mrs. Lewis Crawford will manage the concession. Boxoffice will open at 6:30 with the first show starting at dusk. This is the 22nd year the Caro Drive-In Has been in operation. The finest motion pictures made today will play first-run this season. The opening program Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25-26 consists of two brand new first-run features: "Mantis In Lace" and "40 Guns For Forty Graves". (Cass City Chronicle 3/23/72)

News Article: Movie Mecca Gone With The Wind - In a whirl of dust, the 38-year old screen at the Caro Drive-In on M-81 northeast of the village came crashing down about 7:30 p.m. Monday. Severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect when passers-by stopped to stare as high winds toppled the huge screen. The drive-in, owned by Peggy and Richard Ashmun, was the last theater of its kind in Tuscola County. We had a lot of good movies lined up said Richard Ashmun. Weve had some extensive fence damage before, but nothing like this. There are 75- and 100-year old trees out there that blew down too. Ashmun said they have been having a good summer, but wasnt sure if they would rebuild. A new drive-in screen costs $40,000, with only six or seven weeks left in the season, I dont know if its worth it Ashmun said. The insurance wont necessarily cover costs. The Ashmun brothers have been in the movie business for 53 years. They also own the Strand Theater in Caro, and the drive-in in Bad Axe. Fortunately, Ashmun added, they could switch movies from the drive-in schedule to the Strand Theater. (Tuscola County Advertiser 7/22/87)

News Article: Joe Bob's Advice To The Hopeless - Bureaucrat Alert! The screen of the Caro Drive-In, on M-81 in Caro, Mich., got destroyed in a tornado last year, and the management decided not to rebuild, since everybody started going to the Caro indoor theater, which is owned by the same people. (Correction: It was actually a wind storm that took down the screen, and it occured July 20, 1987, not 1991 as indicated in this article) It gets worse. Now the Caro Village Council wants to annex the drive-in land, in the hopes of attracting the enemy of drive-ins everywhere: Wal-Mart! Dennis A. Luettke of Cass City, who saw "The Wild Angels" at the Caro in 1965, reminds us that, without eternal vigilance, it can happen here. (Joebobbriggs.com 1992)

Update: Dear Joe Bob, I enclose an article about the fate of the Caro Drive-In (Caro, Mich.) from the daily news. The lot where it stood before a tornado took the screen down is going to support a department store. The drive-in won't be rebuilt. I have a theory about drive-ins. They grew up as part of the recreational driving phenomena that spawned the whole subculture. The drive-in movie, the drive-in hamburger stand, the roadside zoo/produce stand/flower shop, etc., all developed because people were out driving for pleasure. Families on Sunday afternoons, kids on the weekends. Out cruising, having fun, looking for something interesting to do. From the late 1940s through all of the fifties and sixties, an American lifestyle. But then in the early seventies, that began to change and you can almost see the place where the tide broke and rolled back. Suddenly there was the Arab oil embargo. Gasoline prices and the price of new cars doubled together and did it overnight. Suddenly the new cars weren't much fun anymore and who wants to drive a car you don't like? To work maybe, but out to "cruise" in? Besides, gas was a buck a gallon. And really, ever see a drive-in movie from a mini-economy-mobile thinking you were a goldfish looking out? More, the new cars were sealed, air-conditioned and enclosed. Passengers were kept away from the world--it wasn't like the old cars with a windshield the size of a greenhouse and big door windows that you kept down so you could interact with the world outside. The old cars were part of their times, the new ones part of theirs. In a '57 you'd go to a drive-in; in a '91 you'd go to the store (The Mall). It makes a kind of sense. So the drive-in is dead? No. Mutated maybe, but not dead. There is still a drive-in ambiance you don't find anywhere else. The freedom and privacy of your own car where you can yell, scream, bitch, moan, make out--whatever--and watch a movie at the same time. Complete with poor quality speakers on cords, dimly projected movies, and people barfing in the concession stand restrooms. Sure, it isn't quite the same, but what is? The "Happy Days" you see in terminal syndication on TV isn't quite the way it was either, but it's close enough to capture the mood and that's the point. As long as people enjoy drive-ins, they will be there. Not as many of them, and it's getting harder and harder to find those big two-dates-and-a-twelve-pack cars, but if you look, there'll always be one close enough to drive to. Take care, Dennis A. Luettke Cass City, Mich. (Joebobbriggs.com 1992)

Update: The Caro Drive-In is no more, the land has been sold and now a Wal-Mart occupies the site. (Tom Elmore 11/28/99)

Update: The Caro drive-in is gone, the site is now a Wal-Mart. Theres a song by the country group LoneStar that has the line "That old drive-in is a new Wal-Mart. (Waterwinterwonderland.com/Bobby Peacock 1/6/03)

Update: Do you guys remember back in the late 70s or early 80s how the place was rockin? How we used to sneak people in the trunk of the car? How we used to have a keg in the trunk and everyone would meet us there? God rest the Caro Drive In as it is one big memory for alot of people! (Waterwinterwonderland.com/Randy Compton 1/26/06)

Update: I was really young, but I was lucky enough to see one movie before the destruction of the screen, I remember it being so much fun, I can't remember which movie it was, it was some where between 1981 and when it was destroyed. If anybody could help me find the movie it was that would be great! I really wish someone would build another one in Caro, I think it would do really well. (Waterwinterwonderland.com/James Yax 4/10/09)