Jones, Walter, Rock House
Also known as: Rock House
Why it's listed
Built as a rural retreat in the 1930s, this stone and heavy timber house sits on a wooded hillside above Jack's Creek, about three miles northeast of Good Hope in Walton County, Georgia. Walter Jones, brother of the owner of nearby Casulon Plantation, began construction in the mid-1930s as a hunting lodge. After his death in an automobile accident in 1938, his son completed the house and lived there with his family. Its walls are uncut field stones of varied sizes, laid with concealed mortar so they appear dry-laid. Large single stones form the lintels and sills, and old mill stones top the gable vents. Inside are pine paneling, exposed roof beams, a massive stone fireplace and a hidden revolving bar. The house is listed for architecture. Few historic stone houses exist in Georgia, and none other documented uses this concealed-mortar method. It also reflects the era's taste for rustic design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an exceptional example of stone masonry construction and an unusual historic stone house in Georgia. Its stones are laid with concealed mortar so they look dry-laid, a feature not seen in any other documented stone house in the state. It also reflects early 20th-century interest in rustic architecture, popularized by state and national park buildings.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93001190, listed November 4, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4435 GA 186 NE, Good Hope |
|---|---|
| County | Walton County |
| Listed | November 4, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001190 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1938 |
| Architectural style | Other: "rustic" stone |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling; a wood-framed addition with carport and a 1984 barn have been added. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 33.79677, -83.55046 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93001190.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134465943
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.