Beverly Drive-In Theater was constructed in 1948 as a cinema

Drive-in theater

A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...

 structure in Forrest County, Mississippi

Forrest County, Mississippi

The median income for a household in the county was $27,420, and the median income for a family was $35,791. Males had a median income of $28,742 versus $20,500 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,160...

. The main screen measured 105 feet by 75 feet (32 meters by 23 meters), and the theater contained a paved parking area for 500 cars

Motor vehicle

A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...

. The back of the screen tower held a display of neon lights

Neon sign

Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...

 that denoted the Beverly logo with a moon and shooting stars. The original owners built their family home beneath the main screen. The theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 on July 30, 2008.

The theater operated from 1948 through 1987, and periodically for special events, into 2005, when Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

caused significant damage to the screen and buildings. In 2005, it was the oldest drive-in theater still operating in Mississippi.

The Beverly Drive-In Theater burned to the ground on October 30, 2010.