{"nrhp_refnum":"84002598","name":"Elliott, Luther, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"309 Haven St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Reading","county":"Middlesex County","state":"MA","lat":42.52299255400004,"lon":-71.10030015899997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1984-07-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Industry","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1 1/2 story, five-bay Greek Revival house at 309 Haven Street in Reading, Massachusetts, built about 1850 for cabinetmaker Luther Elliott. It is clapboarded, sits on a corner lot, and has wings shown on an 1854 map.","why_significant":"The house is tied to Reading's cabinetmaking trade and to Luther Elliott, a prominent cabinetmaker who invented a technique for sawing wood veneers. It is also an example of the modest Greek Revival houses built by Reading tradespeople. Its door surround blends two local door treatments, and the decorative detail may reflect the owner's work in wood.","narrative":"Built about 1850 for cabinetmaker Luther Elliott, this 1 1/2 story, five-bay Greek Revival house stands on a corner lot at 309 Haven Street in Reading, Massachusetts. Its clapboard walls are set behind large pines and a stone retaining wall. The entrance is the most distinctive feature, combining a fluted architrave surround with corner blocks and a pilaster-and-entablature treatment, both found elsewhere in town. Dentils mark the frieze, and incised circles ornament the corner blocks at the window lintels. The variety of detail may reflect the owner's trade in wood. Elliott belonged to the cabinetmaking industry that thrived in Reading from the 1840s to the 1860s, peaking in 1855 with 13 establishments and nearly 200 workmen. He invented a technique for sawing wood veneers, worked with manufacturer Henry Kingman, and taught the trade to Sylvester Harnden. Elliott Street was cut through his side yard and carries his name. The house was listed for its role in the trade, its link to Elliott, and its modest Greek Revival design.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Architect: n/a; original owner Luther Elliott","architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":["A","B","C"],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:56.941444-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/42/7921/63792142/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/84002598.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84002598/bbd1236c69-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84002598/bbd1236c69-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"User:Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ReadingMA_LutherElliottHouse.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Magicpiano</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ReadingMA_LutherElliottHouse.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63792142","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Elliott_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6705552"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/middlesex-county/elliott-luther-house-84002598/"}