Battell House
Why it's listed
Built around 1806 at 293 Haverhill Street in Reading, this clapboard house sits on about six acres, facing south on a slight rise. It began as a farm homestead on land once part of the Symonds property, which came to the Battell family through marriage. The house is a good example of Federal building in a town where architecture was conservative and detail restrained. Small second-floor windows nearly touch the plate, the eaves have no gable returns, and a narrow molded cornice strip appears on the front only. The doorway keeps what appear to be old fluted pilasters and full-length sidelights, though the entablature is recent. Differences in chimneys and interior paneling may mean the house was first three bays long. An ell was added around 1825 and a rear extension in the 1950s. Charles P. Battell, a Civil War soldier who enlisted in 1862 and lost a leg at Petersburg in 1865, is tied to the property. It was listed for its farm history, this connection, and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites it as an early farm homestead and as a good example of restrained, vernacular Federal architecture in Reading. It is also linked to Civil War veteran Charles P. Battell, who lost a leg at Petersburg in 1865.
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 84002504, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 293 Haverhill St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002504 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a dwelling and privately owned, with an ell added about 1825 and a rear extension in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 42.53934, -71.08770 (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 84002504.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4869699
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.