CAROLA LILLIE HARTLEY
Publisher and Contributing Writer
Photograph: Perrodin’s Hall, later known as J. B. Sandoz. (Carola Lillie Hartley Collection)
Located on the corner of East Grolee and Main streets, the building in this
photo from the past was one of the Opera Houses of Opelousas, known as
Perrodin’s Hall.
In 1882, the Perrodins brothers, Jules and August, purchased the large
building which was originally designed for a cotton seed oil mill, near Victor
Bourdin’s Steam Corn Mill on Bayou Tesson at the corner of Grolee and Market
streets. The building was dismantled and rebuilt on Main Street at Grolee
Street, near the store of Jules Perrodin, on the lot where Perrodin’s Lumber
yard stood. It was then used as a large store, warehouse and Opera House. The
upper floor was the Opera House. The lower floor was used as a carriage emporium,
and a store for other merchandise.
Perrodin’s Hall was a popular place in the community. Many plays and other forms
of entrainment were presented at the hall. Other activities held in the
building included dances and “hops” for young people, skating
parties, graduation ceremonies for the area schools, Mardi Gras Balls, social
events, etc.
In 1886 when a fire destroyed the St. Landry Parish Courthouse, the
temporary courthouse was set up at Perrodin’s Hall until the new building could
be constructed.
As the story goes, told my older Opelousas citizens, Perrodin’s Hall had the
first electrics lights in Opelousas.
In 1892, J. B Sandoz opened a new carriage repository at Perrodin’s Hall.
Sandoz later purchased the building. Although the “Opera House”
section of the building located on the second floor was used for some time,
eventually the Opera House closed, and the building became a hardware store.
The old hall was remodeled and changed over the years until it was demolished
in 1952 when a new J. B. Sandoz Hardware Store was built on the site.
