Once common in Maryland. Blue Laws, also known as Sunday Laws were designed to ban many activities on Sunday, according to Wikipedia. But some of these ancient restrictions were still hanging on in the Laws of Maryland when the new Elkton Drive-in Theatre at the edge of town ran afoul of the Maryland restriction in 1950.
As the spring darkness settled on Cecil County on May 14, and the big screen flickered to life, Cecil County Sheriff Elwood Boyd and his deputies moved in to close the Sunday show down. Sheriff Boyd also arrested Nathan Rosen of Baltimore, the owner of the drive-in, which had held its gala, grand opening two nights before on Friday, May 12.
In a hearing before Trial Magistrate James Weinroth, Rosen’s counsel, Attorney E. D. E. Rollins, declared that no admission was charged so the rule prohibiting performances at “Opera Houses” didn’t apply to drive-ins. The Sunday evening show was free, a benefit performance for volunteers from the fire company, Union Hospital, Community Chest and other charitable groups as they took up collections during the performance. Counsel also pointed out that movies were open in Elkton, but the Magistrate said that resulted from a local referendum four years ago and Rosen’s drive-in was not in the Elkton Town Limits.
Near the close of the hearing, Mr. Rollins demanded that if the State was going to prosecute the owner of the drive-in, then States Attorney Henry L. Constable was obligated to close all restaurants with television sets, ballparks, and bathing beaches that were open on Sunday.
Magistrate Weinroth ordered the case held over for the September Grand Jury.
I’m not exactly sure of the Dates, (but near the end of the 40’s) that we Rode a Ferry Boat across the C&D Canal at Chesapeake City and rode back across, before going to the Drive in that same evening. It was like the ‘Last’ ride for the Ferry , before the New Bridge opened.
Earl, here’s a link about the ferry. Bob Hazel wrote a book a few years back called The Day the Ship KNocked the Bridge Down. . . . There’s a photo of the ferry and also of the bridge and ship that struck it.
https://www.facebook.com/cecilcountyhistory/posts/1917924715139113
Here’s another post. The bridge was hit in 1942 and the ferry was used until the bridge that’s presently there was built. . The new bridge opened to traffic in 1949, and here’s another post by Bob Hazel on his blog
https://www.facebook.com/delmarvahistory/posts/765314780206533
https://www.facebook.com/cecilcountyhistory/posts/1805692349695684