Photo from Facebook Group “Lafayette Flyer Art” posted by Vic LeBlanc ...

Jody Morvant: “The ‘Two Mile Inn’ located on Highway 8 approximately 1 mile north of the Peck Community in Catahoula Parish. 4,350 square feet, rented for $400 per week including all equipment. Photo dated May 4, 1995. Well established clientele.” Photo courtesy of Jody Morvant LouisianaDancehalls.com reader comment- Raymond McCastle: “We moved to the Two Mile Inn when I was 4 years old, 1965. My Father was in the Air Force, therefore, we lived in France the first 4 years of my life. We returned to the USA. in 1965 and My parents divorced immediately. I later found out, Dad had given me two more siblings while living in France. However, my mother returned to her home. This is how I ended up at the Two Mile Inn. We rented a small two bedroom house that face in the direction of the Two Mile in. My Grandmother lived around 100 yards south of our house. The Two Mile Inn was composed of a gas station; around 5 grocery/clothing store, restaurants, boring rental rooms; 3 night clubs; pool hall and game rooms; a gambling shack; a meat smoke house; and a garbage yard. This was a family orientated and self-efficient community. One night after midnight, woke us (3 kids-me, my sister and brother) yelling “run, run to gran maw house”. We ran and looked back toward the Two Mile Inn. 4 Buildings were burning because the KKK didn’t like black people earning a good living. The KKK gave warnings. They burned cross and wrote on business owners cars, warning them. They would write, if you don’t close down, we will burn you down “KKK”. ...

From http://www.texasfreeway.com: “On the right side of the road as Texans exited the east end of the mile-long bridge stood …Mud Lake, (and) on the left, stood The Grove.” From www.orangeleader.com: “Across the ÒMile BridgeÓ, and the last of the bigger clubs was The Grove. The Grove was an elegant club operated by Sam Smith and his wife Marian. The Smiths had opened the Grove in 1937 and it soon became known as the best of the East Orange night spots. There was a gambling room with slot machines, roulette wheels, dice and card tables, a large dining and dancing area and a smaller ÒPeacock RoomÓ. The Peacock Room had originally been a pit for fighting roosters when the club first opened. After about a year, the Smiths decided that cockfighting was not something they wanted to keep in their club, so they stopped it and remolded the pit into a dining room. At times the Smiths booked big band entertainment. They had a house band that played nightly, but at times brought in extra attractions. Couples and groups from Orange would drive to the Grove for a special night of dining, dancing, entertainment, and maybe a little gambling. When they went to the Grove they always dressed in their best. There was never a club like the Grove in the Orange area and may never be again.” ...

Photo from the Johnnie Allan Collection at the Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Cajun club- but Irma Thomas played there too: From http://www.texasfreeway.com: “On past Cemetery Road, as years passed, w(as) built Lou Ann’s” ...