Hall, Stephen, House
Why it's listed
Built in the 1850s at 64 Minot Street in Reading, this board-and-batten house reflects the Gothic Revival taste of mid-nineteenth-century America. It was built for Stephen Hall, a local mason, by John Stevens of South Reading, who later called himself an architect and worked in Reading, Boston and New Hampshire. The design closely resembles the "Symmetrical Bracketed Cottage" in A. J. Downing's 1850 book on country houses, and the house was copied from one in Wakefield. It keeps Downing's symmetrical massing, heavy porch and Italianate window caps, though its proportions differ. The house is also a remnant of the Cummingsville development, laid out by Amos Cummings from the old Sweetser farm and financed by a Boston loan association. The area flooded badly in wet weather and was nicknamed Mudville, and the venture failed. The house is listed for its connection to that development, to Stevens, and as one of Reading's few high-style Gothic Revival buildings.
Significance in brief: It is one of Reading's few high-style examples of fully developed Gothic Revival design, closely resembling a Design in A. J. Downing's The Architecture of Country Houses. It is a remnant of the 1850s "Cummingsville" or "Mudville" real estate development. It is also linked to local architect John Stevens.
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 84002630, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 64 Minot St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002630 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Stevens |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Major alterations include replacement of the porch rails and stairs; a garage stands as an outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51965, -71.10579 (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 84002630.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7609410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.