Creole House

The Creole House is a historic residence in Prairie du Rocher built using the traditional poteaux-sur-sol method, with logs set on a stone foundation throughout the structure. Multiple fireplaces are positioned within the house, and it remains the only surviving example of this building technique in Illinois.

Built around 1800, the house emerged from the early French settlement period in the Upper Mississippi Valley and reflects that era's construction knowledge. Its survival documents the lasting presence of French settlement traditions in the region before English-speaking expansion.

The house displays French colonial design features that were adapted by English-speaking residents who took ownership and expanded the structure during the 1850s.

The property is maintained by the Randolph County Historical Society and welcomes visitors interested in early American building methods and techniques. Plan your visit ahead of time, as opening hours may vary seasonally.

Each room has its own separate entrance door, and a central chimney system organizes the interior in an uncommon way for the period. The original plastered interior walls display a rare craftsmanship technique that is seldom visible in other surviving structures.