Tag Archives: Washington

Skyline Drive-In Moses Lake

Just want to share some old memories and history about the Skyline Drive-in movie theater that was in Moses Lake, Washington. The drive-in opened in 1952 as the first area outdoor theater but it closed around the early 1980s. It had 300 spaces when it opened and later apparently expanded to 450 spaces for cars. Located on 8 acres, the drive-in was just off what used to be the old Larson Highway just north of the Grant County Fairgrounds.

According to the Columbia Basin Herald archives the drive-in opened in July 1952 featuring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in “The Invisible Man” and a Roy Rogers western.

Here is an original photo of the marquee sign taken around mid 1970 when the drive-in was still open.

I have many fond memories of going to the movies at this outdoor drive-in as a kid and later in high school on dates in the 1970s. It was always fun to see friends and have a little pizza along with an ice-cold pop from the snack bar during intermission.

Below is an old vintage movie poster from 1962. Continue Reading →

0

History of Ruff WA

I have been doing research on the town of Ruff, Washington. My family’s farm was just northeast of this once thriving little town that is located in Grant County, Washington. My father’s birth certificate actually lists Ruff as his birthplace and I wanted to research what I could find about the community.

Many of the early settlers including my grandparents were Bessarabia Germans as they came to America from Bessarabia, Russia which is known as Moldova today. My great grandparents on my father’s side came to American in 1891 when my grandfather was 5 years old. It was interesting to find that my grandmother was also from Bessarabia and came to America later and married my grandfather in Washington state. They eventually homesteaded near Ruff Washington and were dry land wheat farmers.

I believe the town of Ruff was established around 1900 and had several businesses and at least one church the Ruff Evangelical Church. Here are a few photos that I found in my father’s old photo album.

Continue Reading →

67