Evangeline Club
Status: Closed
Parish: Evangeline
Location: Ville Platte
From Facebook group “Cajun French Virtual Table Francaise”:
Herman Miller: “(I) Remember going there in late 50’s. Had a low age set for entering, just pay at the door, and they stapled a ticket on your shirt collar. You could go in and get to the bar from the dance hall to get beer. The band had a singer and guitarist with missing fingers on his left hand however; still played well. His signature song was “Red Sails in the Sunset”, played it by request 4or 5 times a night. Good times.”
AW Michot: ” (I) heard a story once about a guy who was there with his friends but he got too “tired” and went and passed out in the back of the car in the lot. When he woke up he was in the car halfway to Bayou Chicot with a couple in the front who he proceeded to scare the dickens out of.”
Terry McDaniel: “I’m from Pine Prarie, which was somehow a dry ward in the 1950s. I was a regular patron at both the Evangeline Club and Club Rendezvous from 1956-64. I had my first beer at the Evangeline Club at fourteen years old. Back then, if you could put the money on the bar, you could buy it. My buddies and I would take dates to the Evangeline Club to dance, then we’d take them home and go to Club Rendezvous, where the girls had looser restrictions and hours.
On the right hand side of the Evangeline was a room for the mothers to sit and supervise the daughters while they danced and courted. If they could, the girls would escape to the deepest corners of the club with their beaus. If they wanted to escape, they’d sneak out the fire escape door on the side and then later their friends would let them back inside through it too.
Otis Smith and his Orchestra played there regularly. Their most popular songs were “In the Mood” and “Barefoot Rock.” They would have to play those five or six times every night. The dance floor was always packed.
There were sometimes epic fights there between soldiers from Fort Polk and locals- particularly Oakdale boys. Sometimes the fights would grow so large that they’d spill out of the Evangeline and shut down Highway 10 outside. People would stand around on the porch and watch until it was over.”
From “Images of America: Ville Platte”, Arcadia Publishing, 2014 by Jean Kiesel and Jane Vidrine: “The Evangeline Club, co-owned by brothers Clem and Claude Morein, was located one mile west of Ville Platte. It opened in 1935 and was especially popular with servicemen from nearby bases during World War II. It was known for featuring local bands and was the site of many community functions. The club closed in 1984 and was demolished in 1988, but the memories live on…Dancing was a popular activity for young couples. Of all the clubs in Evangeline Parish, and there were many, the Evangeline Club was known for having the most popular bands. The best was the Otis Smith Orchestra, which played there five nights a week and on Sunday afternoons at 5:00 p.m. for many years…The Evangeline Club boasted a well-stocked bar and kitchen that offered full-course meals as well as sandwiches and snacks. The Evangeline Club was located near the corner of LA 10 and US 167 on the road to Vidrine. Currently the Evangeline Club sign hangs on the side of a private camp. Crawfish was served on Saturday nights after football games. Many people also remember seeing the Boogie Kings perform there. In addition to the excellent music offered there, the Evangeline club was renowned for the frequent fights that occurred there between patrons. As with many dancehall fights, it is usually noted that at least one of the participants was from a neighboring community.
Gallery:
Photo Credit: Ashlee Michot, Pam McGee, Bobby Dardeau, and Photo from the Johnnie Allan Collection at the Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
THOMAS E MACIULSKI
1963 in the army at polk. went every weekend (FRI. SAT SUN) I REALY MISS IT
Bill McKee
At Ft Polk late 1962 & early 1963 every Friday & Saturday night. Great time there
Bill McKee
Grady Edwards
That Was The Good Old Days
Charles Dickson
I went there many times from 64 to I got married in 73. Missed 65-69 due to active duty.
Vera Marks Thornton
My husband and my 50th wedding anniversary is November 25th! On my 19th birthday I net my future husband on January 29, 1971 at the Evangeline Club in Ville Platte, LA. I told my friend that I was going to meet the man I was going to marry that night! That night I met a handsome 2nd Lieutenant from Ft. Polk, LA. I married him 50 years ago a couple of days from now! We now live in a patio home in OKC, OK! Life is good!❤️
Julie Fontenot Diez
Oh, the stories my mom told me about the Evangeline Club!! I have a photo of her dancing there.
Fred Staropoli
Noppp
Gail
I was dancing with you guys at that time. Had a ball!
Howard
Was stationed at Polk during 1956-1957.Was in the dance hall dancing with a local girl when a local boy asked how the air up there.I said hows the air around my ass.Was told to tell my Army buddies to move out.About 20 or so we then were in a while the band played on.Came back and the locals bought us pitchers of beer and wanted to know why we got so rough.Had a lot of good times there and enjoyed the music of Good Rockin Bob
John Durden
Sat/nights at the Evangeline was a must . From a Viet/vet stationed at Fort Polk 1968, Remember Little bobby And The lollypops ,great band.
Paul Wolfe
I was stationed at. Polk in 1970 and 1971 I went there with buddies several times. It was by word of mouth that the GI’s heard about it. The hour drive down La 10, kept it from being more popular with the GI’s, but it was a nice break from what Leesville had to offer.
Vera Marks Thornton
My husband and my 50th wedding anniversary is November 25th! On my 19th birthday I net my future husband on January 29, 1971 at the Evangeline Club in Ville Platte, LA. I told my friend that I was going to meet the man I was going to marry that night! That night I met a handsome 2nd Lieutenant from Ft. Polk, LA. I married him 50 years ago a couple of days from now! We now live in a patio home in OKC, OK! Life is good!❤️
Danny Byrd
Carolyn Fusilier and I were regulars in the late 60s, good fun, great times and wonderful memories.
MikeG
I was a USL student in the 1960s, took a date there for New Year’s Eve 1966. There I met an 18-yr-old girl from Ville Platte, also a USL student, we eventually were married and had five children. So I can say the Evangeline Club has a special place in my memories.