My father told me that he and another man used a small boat to rescue people stranded in that area during a flood in the early 50's. He remembered rowing past the cross which was about half submerged. In the 70's I worked at W.B. Maske sheet metal about a block up the street.
Phil, the 'stang in the background belonged to your neighbor, Denise Padrick. It was washed away from Dick & Gary's where her dad had left it.
I do not remember a Burger Chef being there. There was a small strip mall with a pawn shop at that address in the 70's. It most of closed before I was driving. I remember the one in Queenstown, it took a bunch of business away from the Mo.
"A plate glass window and an automobile window were broken during a fight that broke out October 1 ,1960 at this location. At least a dozen participants were involved, using fists, a tire chain and a knife. Police determined that that melee was sparked by a dispute over the right-of-way in the Drive-in's parking lot and some insulting remarks made to a lone girl returning from a dance at the Bladensburg fire house. One adult was allegedly injured after a trash can was hurled into the drive-in shattering its window". - Washington Post
Honest, I wasn't there that nite! Seriously, we always stopped to eat at that Burger Chef before going over to the Mo to check out the cars. The food was good and it was cheaper than at the Mo.
My sister said the same thing only they bought their drinks at the Mo. You had to buy something if you wanted to park.
Paul, I was only 2 in 1960 but I was big for my age. I'm guessing the Burger Chef was next to the Cheverly Theater and by the time I was driving in 74 it was turned into a gas station. I (W.B. Maske) put in the AC at the above in the late 70's when they did a renovation.
........................I do remember them. They always had some cool, add-on stuff more like today's Pep Boys. Later there were Trac-Autos. I always went to the Penn-Jersey at Riverdale Rd. and Kenilworth Avenue.
Checkout the street view in front of the old Mo. Trees and weeds are growing out into the public road. Trash everywhere. What a shithole the area has become. https://www.google.com/maps/@38.953...4!1skPI2QwQBMpVpIenfWzBGsw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
^ I just took a tour down your posted image. The parking lot is where Palmer Ford was and the blocked off road took you to the wall that you could sit on to watch the Drive-in movie for free. I went farther down the road and spotted Lee's restaurant on Hamilton. I thought that place closed years ago. Remember the Jag dealer on Queens Chapel that backed up to Lee's?
QUOTE="Bowtie Coupe, post: 12398730, member: 75295"]Wraymen, did you know Billy Maske?[/QUOTE] Yeah you might say that. Big Billy was the owner along with Russell Maske and his son little Billy was my boss. It went under a while ago and little Billy works for another company now. He might not be working at all any more he has to be pushing 70.
.................On the subject of Drive-in theaters, does anyone remember the Central Avenue Drive-In a few blocks inside the Capital Beltway in Forestville? They used to play some x-rated stuff on the week-ends and you could just catch a glimpse of the movie over the top of the corrugated metal fence that separated it from Central avenue. There was a small,older home on the hill opposite the drive-in where I was always told an older couple had lived for years. They must have enjoyed countless free movies over the years, but I bet they were two of the horniest individuals you might ever meet!