As I write this, I am researching the local music venues that were here before the Civic Center. I am limited to newspapers.com, which makes it easy to search through the years. I saw an article at the end of the year 1936, discussing acts that came through at the Three Mile Inn, which is now the Waterfront Grill. My jaw dropped when I read Duke Ellington and his band had been there in March! Newspapers.com doesn’t have January – March digitized, so I had to browse through them on the microfilm machine. BINGO! He was here March 31, 1936. WOW! I did an inflation conversion using the 1936 $3 per couple price, and in 2023 dollars, that would be $66.43 before tax.
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 