Batchelder, Alden, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1849 at 797 Main Street in Reading, this clapboard house sits on a hill facing south at the meeting of two main roads, behind a high granite retaining wall with a step inscribed "Batchelder." Its basic shape is the Georgian-Federal rectangle, but bracketed roof details, arched gable windows, a two-story bay, a central gable and a veranda with turned balusters give it an Italianate character. Its first owner was the Baptist minister Rev. John Cookson, and A. Pitman appears to have rented it in the 1850s. By 1875 it belonged to Alden Batchelder, a cabinetmaker who took over Solon A. Parker's business in 1864 and employed 25 workmen making parlor desks and bookcases for Southern and later Western markets. A fire destroyed his factory in 1876, and he then moved to Charlestown. The house was listed for this association with a notable local cabinetmaker and as an example of conservative local builders adapting an older house plan with newer details. A side porch was enclosed and the house became a two-family dwelling in 1962.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its link to Alden Batchelder, one of Reading's more prominent cabinetmakers. It is also an example of how conservative Reading builders gave the familiar Georgian-Federal house plan an Italianate look through later stylistic details. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling.
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 84002491, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 797 Main St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002491 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to a two-family dwelling in 1962; side porch enclosed; Italianate barn remains as an outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.52854, -71.10243 (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 84002491.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4713530
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.