Pinter Friendly Version

HISTORY OF THE HARVEST MOON

 CLIFFORD ORR PURCHASES LAND SOUTH OF GIBSON CITY IN SUMMER OF 1953

AUGUST 21, 1953 - DRIVE-IN THEATER PLANNED AT GIBSON CITY ANNOUNCED IN CHAMPAIGN URBANA COURIER & OTHER PAPERS - SHOULD BE OPEN JULY 4, 1954 WITH SPACE FOR 300 CARS.

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 1954

PICTURES IN PAPERS ON JULY 1, 1954 - "NEW HARVEST MOON' OUT-DOOR THEATRE ALMOST READY TO OPEN"

THE HARVEST MOON COST $65,000 TO BUILD

IT WILL HAVE THE LARGEST SCREEN IN AREA MEASURING 60 FEET WIDE, 30 FEET HIGH WITH TOP   BEING  50     FEET ABOVE THE GROUND

THE ORIGINAL SCREEN WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTER

ADMISSION WHEN OPENED - ADULTS & CHILDREN OVER 12 WILL PAY 50 CENTS EACH & CHILDREN UNDER 12 YEARS IN CARS WILL BE ADMITTED FREE

CONCESSION STAND FOOD WILL BE HOTDOGS, POPCORN, FROZEN CUSTARD, CANDY, CHILI-CONES, COFFEE, ROOT BEER, COKE, AND ORANGE.

PROJECTORS (2) RAN 20 MINUTE REELS.  HAD A GENERATOR TO MAKE ELECTRICITY TO RUN CARBON ARC FOR LIGHT.

THE HARVEST MOON OPENED 1ST TIME - JULY 8, 1954

FIRST MOVIE - "PRIDE OF THE BLUEGRASS" STARRING LOYD BRIDGES - A RACE TRACK STORY IN TECHNICOLOR

SEPTEMBER 14, 1965 APPROXIMATELY 4:00 PM A TORNADO HIT THE HARVEST MOON

TORNADO TOOK PART OF SCREEN, WHICH LANDED AT M & W GEAR COMPANY.

TOOK ALMOST ALL THE FENCE DOWN.

THE ROOF OFF OF CONCESSION STAND LANDED OUT BY THE TICKET OFFICE (BOX OFFICE).

THE PAYROLL CHECKS LAYING ON THE CONCESSION STAND COUNTER WERE LEFT THERE BY THE TORNADO.

CLIFFORD ORR PUT THE MOVIE FOR THAT NIGHT AS "GONE WITH THE WIND".

I (JIM MILLER) WAS 5 YEARS OLD WHEN TORNADO HIT DRIVE-IN.  MY PARENTS BOTH WORKED FOR CLIFFORD ORR.

HARVEST MOON REBUILT OVER THE WINTER AND OPENED AGAIN IN SPRING OF 1966

HERE IS A PICTURE OF MY DAD, HAROLD MILLER (LEFT) & MY UNCLE, CLARENCE SIXT (RIGHT) TAKEN DURING THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION IN THE EARLY 1970'S.  TICKET PRICE WAS $1.00 CHILDREN WERE FREE. NOTICE NO PIZZA HUT ACROSS THE STREET.

I WORKED FOR CLIFFORD AT THE DRIVE-IN 1977 & 1978

DUE TO HEALTH REASONS & FALLING ATTENDANCE CLIFFORD CLOSED THE DRIVE-IN FALL OF 1978

1979 CLOSED

SPRING OF 1980 CLIFFORD LEASED THE DRIVE IN TO A MAN NAMED BOB HUGEL OF PAXTON.  BOB RAN DRIVE IN FOR TWO YEARS 1980 & 1981 AND HAD FIREWORKS ON JULY 4TH OF BOTH YEARS.

I WORKED FOR BOB HUGEL 1980 & 1981

JULY 27, 1981 - STORM TOOK SOME OF ROOFING OFF OF CONCESSION STAND AND WAS REPLACED.

1982 CLOSED AGAIN

MAY 1983 - STILL CLOSED.  THE CITY BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE TOOK DOWN FENCE

(I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER OPEN AGAIN.)

I FOUND OUT YEARS LATER THAT THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE HIRED SOMEONE TO CUT DOWN THE SCREEN TOO.  CLIFFORD JUST HAPPENED ALONG AND SAW THE MAN OUT THERE AND STOPPED HIM.

JUNE 1989 DRIVE IN IS LEASED & OPERATED BY MIKE HARROUN.

1ST MOVIE IN JUNE 1989 - "BULL DURAM" - A BASEBALL MOVIE.

 I (JIM MILLER) STARTED WORKING AGAIN IN JUNE 1992, WHEN MIKE HARROUN & MARTY TILSTRA OPENED THE DRIVE-IN LOCATED IN CLINTON, ILLINOIS.

1994 SCREEN FROM THE CLINTON DRIVE-IN WAS MOVED TO GIBSON CITY.

APRIL 1996 SCREEN FROM CLINTON, ILLINOIS WAS PUT UP IN THE BACK OF HARVEST MOON DIVE-IN. IT IS NOW CALLED SCREEN 2

.

JULY 1998 THE HARVEST MOON STARTED TO HAVE FIREWORKS EVERY YEAR THANKS TO DAVID MAXWELL

APRIL 1998 - THE STATE IMPROVED ROUTE 47 IN FRONT OF THE HARVEST MOON.  THEY MOVED OUR ENTRANCE FROM THE NORTH END DOWN TO THE SOUTH END TO COMBINE WITH OUR EXIT.  THEY MOVED THE TICKET OFFICE & FLAG POLE OVER ABOUT 15 FEET TO THE WEST.  THIS MADE ROOM FOR THE NEW LANE THAT PARALLELS THE HIGHWAY.

DECEMBER 1998 AN OFFER WAS MADE ON PROPERTY BY C.I.P.S. FOR A NEW POWER PLANT. (DRIVE-IN ALMOST GONE)

SPRING OF 1999 DRIVE-IN STILL OPEN. 

2002 SEASON CAROUSEL WAS ADDED.  SNACK BAR GETS COTTON CANDY & GLOW POPS.  GLOW STICKS ARE NEW THIS YEAR.  IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR A CAR WAS GIVEN AWAY (1992 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE)

2003 SEASON - FOOD TRAILER ADDED SERVING BARBEQUE, FREEDOM FRIES, CHEDDAR CHEESE FRIES, HAMBURGERS,  CHEESEBURGERS & BRATS.  CURB SERVICE (GOLF CART) WAS ADDED.  CAR GIVE AWAY (1989 CHRYSLER LEBARON CONVERTIBLE).  NEW LETTER BOX OUT FRONT.  LOTS OF NEW SIGNS (LIGHTS OUT, PIZZA HUT PASS, SHOES, 91.3, 88.5, ETC.).  CAR SHOW HAD ABOUT 50 ENTRIES.  UPDATED SCREEN #1 LIGHT HOUSE TO A BIG SKY & NEW 4,500 WATT LIGHT BULB.

2004 SEASON - FOOD TRAILER GONE.  NEW BURGER BARN WAS BUILT AND IT OPENED MAY 28TH.  SCREEN #1 DAMAGED IN STORM ON MAY 30TH.  IT LEFT A BIG HOLE IN UPPER RIGHT SIDE.  IT WAS REPAIRED BY JUNE 3RD.

2006 SEASON - TIKE HUT WAS ADDED

2007 SEASON - ADMISSION GOES UP TO $6.00 PER ADULT, CHILDREN UNDER 6 STILL FREE.