Entry No. 20 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: roadside-americana
Star Drive-In Theatre
“A 102-mph tornado flattened the original screen in 1974; the replacement went up in ten days.”
George and Elizabeth DeVries lit this screen on April 19, 1950 — The Younger Brothers on the bill — and their daughter Pam still runs the booth herself, seven nights a week all summer. That makes the Star the oldest drive-in in America still in its founding family's hands. A 102-mph tornado flattened the original screen in 1974; the 80-by-90-foot replacement went up in ten days. John Wayne signed autographs here after shooting True Grit nearby. Cash only, 360 cars, double features under actual stars.
The move: Bring actual cash, claim a middle-row spot before dusk, and split buttered popcorn from the family's snack bar through both halves of the double feature.
📍 Before you go The entrance is off East Miami Road on Montrose's east side, a bit over an hour down US-50 from Grand Junction. The gate and snack bar are cash only, so hit an ATM in town first; the 360-car lot fills front-to-back, and arriving before dusk gets you a center row. Sound comes through your FM dial or the old in-car pole speakers. It runs summer evenings only — pair it with a late-afternoon rim drive at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, fifteen minutes east.
- 📍 Montrose
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 600 E. Miami Rd, Montrose, CO 81401
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4
last checked: 2026-06-11