The Forgotten Screen: The Story of Drift Theatre in Kentucky’s Coal Country
In the heart of Drift, Kentucky, along the Left Fork of Beaver Creek, the Drift Theatre once lit up the night with the glow of the silver screen. This small coal town’s movie house was more than a place to watch films—it was where miners, families, and dreamers gathered, sharing laughter and stories in the dark. Though its days as a theater are long gone, the building still stands, now home to Marco Industrial Tire Sales, carrying the echoes of a vibrant past in Floyd County.
A Coal Town’s Cinematic Escape
Drift, a tiny Floyd County community, came alive with the coal boom after the railroad rolled in during 1917. By the 1940s, the town buzzed with about 3,500 residents, most tied to the mines. Around this time, the Drift Theatre opened its doors, built by WJ Turner as part of a larger building that also held shops and apartments. After a fire, Turner’s son, Ernest, rebuilt it, cementing its place as Drift’s social hub.
The theater was the soul of Saturday nights, when “going to town” meant dressing up, grabbing candy, and piling into the auditorium. Miners shook off coal dust, kids giggled through cartoons, and couples stole glances during Hollywood romances or Western shootouts. In a remote coal camp, the Drift Theatre was a window to the world, making it a cherished escape in the 1940s and early 1950s.
The Fade to Black
The theater’s story mirrors Drift’s own. By the mid-1950s, coal’s decline hit hard—mechanization cut jobs, and families left for better prospects. The town’s population shrank, and the theater’s crowds dwindled. By the late 1970s, the Drift Theatre had closed, though some recall a brief reopening for a few final shows. As coal camps faded, so did the marquee’s light, leaving the building quiet but standing.
Today, the Drift Theatre is no longer a theater but houses Marco Industrial Tire Sales, a local business that’s kept the building alive for over 40 years. The brick and metal structure, at 7049 KY-122, still anchors Drift, a town of just 569 by the 2000 census, now serving customers instead of moviegoers.
A Screen of Memories
The Drift Theatre may not show films anymore, but its walls hold stories—of first dates, family outings, and even brushes with stars like Minnie Pearl, as locals recall. It’s a relic of a time when coal fueled dreams and theaters bound communities together. As you drive through Drift, glance at the old theater building. It’s not just a tire shop—it’s a piece of Kentucky’s heart, where the magic of the movies still lingers in the coal dust.
