Wood's Hall-The Friendly Place
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Although it is no longer in operation, Wood's Hall was the most successful Creole juke joint on the river. At various times, there were at least ten "halls" in operation along Cane River.
Before Wood's Hall closed in the 1980s, it was the gathering place for Cane River Creoles. The Hall was open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Admission was free except on Sundays, when the weekly dance was held. Two Creole storytellers talked recently about their memories of Wood's Hall.
They had quite a few people when Wood built that hall and when they saw the business that he had, there were quite a few people along here to build halls, but they never made it. . . . No one ever did draw business away from Wood's.
It cost $1 to get in when there was a band - Yuke and Dumah [LaCour] and them.
But you had your dollar's worth of fun. . . . You'd wish Monday would never come. It was funny, but they never had a dance on Saturday where you didn't have to do anything on Sunday, but they had them on Sunday night and you'd be sicker than three dogs the next day.
You'd be working in the hot sun the next day with a wine hangover. And Daddy would say, "You had your fun last night, now have your fun today." About 8 that morning you'd say, "I ain't never going to take another drink."
Yeah, but you couldn't wait until next weekend.