The 5-Mile Drive-In Theater opened it's gates on Friday, June 30, 1961. The theater is near the intersection of M-152 and M-40, in Cass county. The original ownership of the drive-in consisted of brothers Leonard and Donald White of Niles, George Keller of Niles, and James Dincolo of South Bend, Indiana.

The theater capacity was set at 500 cars on a 40-acre lot. The drive-in was designed by Bob West of the West Construction Company from Flint, Michigan. The constuction was handled by local contractors.

On opening night the theatre was advertised as the "Five Corners Drive-In Theatre." Featured that night were the Clark Gable & Sophia Loren picture "It Started in Naples", along with "The Secret of the Purple Reef" in Cinemascope, and a batch of color cartoons.

The owners also had expansion plans near the theater site for a recreational complex that would include a drive-in restauant, golf driving range, miniature golf, archery range, and swimming pools. Apparently the miniature golf course, and the drive-in restaurant were the only additions that was actually completed. This eatery, Lutz's Drive-In, remains open in 2021.

Many drive-in theaters have come and gone in Michigan, but the 5-Mile has managed to beat the odds, and continues the entertain the residents of Southwest Michigan in 2021. The current owners are Neal & Glenda Edwards. [©2021 MichiganDrive-Ins.com 10/24/21]