Brackett House
Why it's listed
Built in 1920 at 276 Summer Avenue in Reading, this one-and-one-half-story bungalow was designed for Herbert and Eva Brackett, a merchant and his wife. It sits close to the ground behind a screen of evergreens. A three-sided porch with large stuccoed columns defines the design: one side is screened for outdoor living, one is roofed as an entrance, and one is left unroofed to form a pergola that lets sunlight reach the south side of the interior. Exposed rafter ends emphasize hand-crafted construction. The lot was once part of Prescott land, and the house now stands on a corner because Nichols Road was laid out after it was built. It was listed because it shows how later building filled in early real estate subdivisions as old homesteads opened for development, and because it is regarded as the town's best example of the Bungalow style. It has had no major alterations and retains its original character.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the closest example in Reading to the ideals of the Bungalow style that spread across the country in the early 20th century. It also represents the infill housing built on old homestead land as it was subdivided for development. It is judged to retain 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 84002515, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 276 Summer Ave., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002515 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Bungalow (described as bungaloid style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No major alterations are recorded; the house has not been moved and has a garage outbuilding. It sits on a corner lot of about 9,464 square feet with heavy evergreen plantings. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.51788, -71.11401 (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 84002515.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4953710
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.