Nostalgia Hits as We Recall the Tem-Bel Drive-In Days

Long before Netflix and mega theaters, there was a Tem-Bel Drive-In, the weekend destination in Temple, Texas. The Tem-Bel could host 550 cars. The drive-in opened in 1948 near I-35 and Route 363, and it gave Central Texas families summer movie memories under a star-studded sky.

The Friday Night Tradition

Families would pack the family car with blankets and snacks, and then they would get ready for a great family outing. It wasn't just a show. The drive-in was an event!

Double Features and Good Eats

Tem-Bel offered double features where you could see two movies for the price of one. They also had concession stands full of a variety of hot dogs, frozen drinks, popcorn, and candy in a location where the big screen flickered in the summer evening air.

Kids Running Wild

Before the show and between double features there were kids were running wild within the open terrain of the drive-in parking lot as if it were their own backyard. Parents could look out over a magnificent summer sunset and enjoy a rare evening of uncomplicated fun while their little ones ran around freely.

The Good Ole Days Are Gone

By the mid-seventies Tem-Bel simply had to close doors. Eventually a Kmart moved in a shopping center took the drive-in's placement. Fortunately for many of the Temple and Bell County residents these memories have not faded with time.

The Drive-In Isn't Completely Gone!

Central Texas, you can still experience the drive-in! The Last Drive-In Picture Show in Gatesville is open for business and waiting to recreate that drive-in experience! Even the original Tem-Bel Drive-In sign was moved there and still stands, bringing a linkage for movie-goers today.

The Tem-Bel Drive-In was more than a parking lot and movie screen that just happened to be in Temple Texas. It was a memory maker, and it will always be one of the coolest places Temple ever had!