Historic drive-in theater burns

Published 1:02 am Sunday, October 31, 2010

A drive-in theater that served as a Hattiesburg landmark for 62 years burned to the ground Saturday.

The Beverly Drive-In caught fire around 3 a.m. and burned for just over an hour. It had been closed since being extensive damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Authorities say there were no injuries — and the cause is being investigated.

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The theater opened in May 1948 and was the second drive-in in the state. It closed in 1987 and reopened under new management in 2001.

In 2008, the Beverly made the list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in Mississippi by the Mississippi Heritage Trust.

Trust officials say there are only two operating drive-in theaters in Mississippi.