Jerry Jones House Photo by Candice Pauley, courtesy of Cane River National Heritage Area

The Jerry Jones House, also known as the Jones-Roque House, is a classic example of a French Creole cottage. Built in 1845, the Jones House is one of only a few intact Creole cottages in the Cane River region. Unlike larger Creole plantation homes, Creole cottages are single-story buildings raised only a few feet off the ground. Otherwise the two styles are very similar. They both employ a high pitched roof, a large porch and a simple floor plan without hallways, and many examples in the Cane River region are constructed primarily of cypress and bousillage (a mixture of mud, Spanish moss and deer hair).The Jerry Jones House is also connected to the history of St. Augustine Catholic Church.The front columns of the house were constructed with wood salvaged from the first church of this congregation.

Jerry Jones House Photo by Candice Pauley, courtesy of Cane River National Heritage Area

This church, constructed in 1803, was the first church in the country to be funded, built and run by free people of color. The original chapel was replaced in 1916 by a modern building, which still operates today. Over the years, the church has become the heart of the Cane River Creole community. For decades, these columns were the only remnants of the church’s humble beginnings. The house was moved and restored by Tammy Roque in 2002, and the restoration remained faithful to the building's original appearance, except that the columns could not be saved. Today, the house retains a place of prominence in the Cane River Creole community of Isle Brevelle.

The Jerry Jones House is located on Hwy. 484, several miles south of Natchitoches in the Isle Brevelle community of Melrose. It is privately owned and is only open for tours on special occasions.