Jones Farm
Also known as: 41dn250
Why it's listed
Jones Farm is a farmstead set in the hilly, wooded Eastern Cross Timbers on the edge of Lake Ray Roberts, now within Johnson Branch Park near Sanger, Texas. Its core is a five-room, box-frame farmhouse built in 1898 with an L-plan, rear wing and porches, later altered with weatherboard siding, an enclosed back porch and a bathroom. Around it stand a hand-hewn log crib, chicken houses, a 1939 combination barn and granary, sheds, pens and a windmill, along with the site of an 1858 log house. The Jones family farmed here on a largely subsistence basis, growing cotton, corn, oats and hay and raising livestock, which helped them avoid the pitfalls of commercial agriculture and tenancy. The property was recognized for its representative vernacular architecture, its varied outbuildings built with recycled materials, its archeological potential, and a collection of 43 pieces of historic farm machinery. The farm has been stabilized and is no longer in use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is a well-preserved homestead of the Cross Timbers region of North Central Texas, showing diversified, subsistence-level farming that persisted through the early twentieth century. The house is a representative L-plan vernacular dwelling with classical details, and the varied outbuildings reflect reuse and home-built ingenuity. The site and a collection of historic farm machinery also hold information on farming technology and history.
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 94001357, listed December 7, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Johnson Branch Park, Lake Ray Roberts, Sanger |
|---|---|
| County | Denton County |
| Listed | December 7, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001357 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858-1944 |
| Architect / builder | EVERLY, WILLIAM D. AND JONES, DAVID LEE |
| Architectural style | Other: Vernacular, L-plan with rear wing and additions |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use (stabilized); historic farm machinery is stored in sheds and a new pole barn built by the Army Corps of Engineers. |
| Acreage | 5.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.41491, -97.04418 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 94001357.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000093
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.