[Illustration: _Fig. 16. 1920’s rural church with single tower
(Bldg. 20)._]
[Illustration: _Fig. 17. The 1885 Cadeville Masonic Lodge. (Bldg.
54. Rear view in fig. 1)._]
[Illustration: _Fig. 18. The Red Rock General Store, circa 1910,
with gallery and flagpole (Bldg. 7)._]
The physical area required for the small farm caused the dwellings to be
dispersed among the hills. One result was the existence of the lonely
farmstead and the extended neighborhoods. Community feelings developed
and interactions occurred at places of meeting. These meetings were both
formal and casual. The formal occasions would occur at the church,
school, or in rare cases the Masonic Lodge. Informal gatherings occurred
at the rural general store.
The predominant religions in the hilly country west of the Ouachita were
Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian. Church services would be held on
Sunday. Some denominations would also have weekly prayer services.
Additional community happenings were the annual graveyard clearing with
“dinner on the ground” and a revival. At these events family and friends
would discuss newsworthy events. Figure 16 is an example of the small
rural church which was built in the region.
The Masonic Lodge was once an important community establishment. The
Cadeville Lodge, figure 17, is one of the few lodge buildings remaining
in North Louisiana. The first floor could be used for public services or
community meetings. But the second floor was reserved for the private
functions of the lodge members.
The general store not only provided for the physical needs of the rural
inhabitants, but also it contributed to their emotional well-being as
well. The store owner would stock his business by traveling to
distribution centers, often on the Ouachita River, purchasing goods and
selling them to area residents. The regular weekly journey from the farm
to the store would be a time for sharing news and discussing public
events. Thus, supplied both physically and emotionally, the family
member, or members, would return to the rural dwelling.
The general store shown in figure 18 had a porch for neighborly use,
wide openings and a high ceiling for ventilation, and it even featured a
flag pole in the front yard.