This summer when I went to the 4-H Fair in Ringoes I couldn’t help but remember that I was on the site of the old Ringoes Drive-In. Right after the Fair I discovered that Kat Cannelongo, of our East Amwell Historical Society had purchased on Ebay 4 original Ringoes Drive-In posters from the 1960’s that she will be giving to the Township archives. It brought back fond memories.
After WWII there was a great increase in automobile ownership coupled with a move to the suburbs. Drive-in movie theaters started popping up all over NJ- eventually there were 50, with Hunterdon’s only drive-in in Ringoes. The theater opened in October of 1950 and ran until 1987. It wasn’t the largest drive-in in the state but it could accommodate 400 cars! Typically there were two movies per night plus cartoons, with a three minute countdown clock starting the show. Management tried all kinds of gimmicks to get people to come to the movies: free oil changes for the first 20 customers, free ice cream for early birds, a kids playground, kids under 12 were free, free pony rides, even dusk to dawn movies (6-7movies in one sitting!). Over the years ownership and the name changed from the Hunterdon Drive-In to the Ringoes Drive-In to the Gem Drive-In. Initially the Drive-In had a large wooden screen that was painted white and all the cars had their own speakers that could be hung on the car window. Later, a speaker system that played through the cars AM radio was installed. The Drive-In was a big hit in the area. Parents could come home from work, put their kids in their pajamas and go to the movies. They would back into the parking space so the kids could sit on the tailgate, some brought their own chairs – until the mosquitoes came out. Tuesdays night was special – a whole car load of people for only $1! Living in Flemington at the time I remember friends even stuffing people in their car trunks to maximize their dollar. The interesting thing was that the most lucrative part of the drive-in was the concession stand. Normally they would sell hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, soda, ice cream and candy. And of course the Ringoes Drive-In was a passion pit for young people. When the windows of the neighboring car steamed up you knew something was going on! That was never a problem with me – I had a VW Beetle. The last movies ran at the theater in 1987. The grounds sat empty for years with the screen, the concession stand and projectionist booth abandoned. During a severe ice storm in 1993 the massive screen fell down signaling the end of an era.
For additional reading on the Ringoes Drive-In, with pictures and posters check out Lora Olsen’s book “Movies under the Stars” in the Ringoes library.
Jim Davidson