ROSEVILLE, Mich. – Roseville was once home to the world's biggest drive-in movie theater.
The Gratiot Drive-In included a 115-foot-tall sign that stood as a city landmark until the drive-in closed in 1984.
Many residents remember the drive-in fondly.
"Popcorn, sitting on the hood of your car," Ken Kessler said. "The wife and I, we used to do it and, in the winter, we'd bring heaters."
The theater opened in 1948 and was a staple for decades.
"They were great times," Kessler said. "Really good times. I enjoyed them. Wish they were here again."
Roseville city officials had the same wish and decided to make it a reality, in a way.
A new marquee sits along Gratiot Avenue near Common Road and it's designed to look like the Gratiot Drive-In's sign.
"I'm floored," said Mayor Robert Taylor. "I'm so excited. It's something that will be here forever."
As a lifelong Roseville resident, Taylor feels a sense of pride.
"They're going to say, 'Hey, look at the marquee. Look at the Gratiot Drive-In,'" Taylor said. "They're going to remember that."
The Gratiot Drive-In is part of the city's history, one that Taylor said residents "don't want to lose."
Now, the marquee will serve as a symbol of what was, and what's to come, in Roseville.
