Wilbraham Nights: Motels, Movies, and Memories

In the late 1950s, a little slice of modern convenience and entertainment could be found right on Boston Road in Wilbraham. The Wilbraham Motel, at 2009 Boston Road, opened its doors in 1959 with just 24 rooms, but it was far from ordinary. Air-conditioning, a stylish lounge, and a sparkling swimming pool made it one of the most modern motels in the country. Yet what truly set it apart was its connection to the neighboring Parkway Drive-In Theatre: for the first time in Massachusetts, guests could watch the latest movies from the comfort of their own rooms, complete with sound and perfect visibility.

Wilbraham Motel. Joe Roberts

Next door, the Parkway Drive-In, which opened in 1948, was a place where families, teenagers, and couples flocked to experience the magic of movies under the stars. Its debut featured Walt Disney’s Song of the South and Johnny Weissmuller in Tarzan and the Huntress. By the mid-1950s, it was operated by M.R. Zio and Daytz Theatre Enterprises, and on Sunday mornings, the drive-in took on a different kind of role, hosting services for a local religious congregation. It was said that the parking area could accommodate 998 cars.

The Parkway Drive-In. Cinema Treasures

Opening program advertisement. Cinema Treasures

For nearly four decades, the drive-in was a landmark of Wilbraham life, a place of entertainment, community, and nostalgia. But in 1987, its lights dimmed for the last time, and by 1988, it was gone, replaced by the Home Depot we know today. Though the screen no longer rises against the evening sky, memories of the Wilbraham Motel and Parkway Drive-In live on, a reminder of a time when movies, modern comforts, and small-town charm came together just steps apart.