Read, Nathan, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1845 at 506 North Main Street in Fall River, this 2½-story clapboard house reflects the Greek Revival style. It has a pedimented end gable, a full entablature below a flat cornice, and a granite block foundation. An Ionic portico frames a three-part door with a transom. Nathan Read, who owned Nathan Read & Co., a hat, cap and fur store in the downtown Granite Block, had the house built after buying the land in 1844. It belongs to a group of Greek Revival houses erected along North Main Street following the 1843 fire. Much of Greek Revival Fall River has since disappeared, and the few surviving houses represent the early industrial period, when mill-owners and well-off merchants built new homes in this style. The house was listed for its architectural quality, the integrity of its design and workmanship, and its historical associations. At the time of recording it was in multi-family use, with a garage on the lot.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a handsome, modest-sized Greek Revival house with all its detail intact. It is one of a cluster of Greek Revival houses built on North Main Street after the 1843 fire. It is also tied to the city's early industrial period, when prosperous merchants and mill-owners built in this style. The form cites Criteria A and C.
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 83000710, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 506 N. Main St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000710 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in 1980 as a multi-family residence; the form describes all detail as intact. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.71816, -71.15506 (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 83000710.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969301
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.