Don’t let the rustic facade fool ya! Cain’s Hitchin’ Post opened in 1947 as a restaurant at 2504 W. Davis, just west of Hampton Road, but in 1951 owner Claude Cain, Jr. added the 2500 square foot “Saga Room” for drinking and dancing. The club featured “colored combos” and dancing until 1 a.m. It was apparently a lively joint until the beer election of December 1956 prohibited the selling of alcohol in such places. After that, Cain’s seems to have rode off into the sunset. No obvious evidence of the building remains today.

Aug 1: Thanks to Steve Bonner for corrections and additions to this blurb. He tells me after Cain’s closed the same building was Nayler’s Country Kitchen for several years. The last business at the location was Amvet’s Bingo.

Laurel Land, circa 1952.

Postcard reads: This is an outdoor community music centre, known as the Court of Music. The Little Church, representing your church and mine, was suggested to the planner of the Park by Arnold’s song, “Little Old Church in the Valley.” Music comes from the Waterfalls and Church. Many visitors come from far and near each month. Thousands gather here each Easter for sunrise services.

I seem to remember the music coming from the little stone church, but not the rest of the garden, but it’s been awhile since I visited the place, and some of those were nocturnal excursions so things looked different.  (sshhh, don’t tell  the ghosts I’m still here)