House at 1177 Main Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1853, this 1-1/2 story clapboard house on Main Street in Reading was erected for John Brooks Nichols, a member of the early Reading Nichols family. The family were farmers, and an 1875 map shows nine separate Nichols houses in the northern part of town. John's farming seems to have centered on delivering milk, and he probably built the house after marrying in 1853. It stands near one of the family's old homesteads. Architecturally, the gable-end house blends Greek Revival and Italianate styles. The gables do not return but have mitered ends, and the cornice is very broad, made of lapped boards. Full-length first-floor windows topped with shallow pediments and a full-width porch on paired colonettes add Italianate character. The house is valued as an example of younger sons of old families building up-to-date homes near ancestral land, for its Nichols family link, and for its transitional styling. Later changes include a rear extension, a dormer and an exterior chimney.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as an example of how younger sons of old Reading families built up-to-date houses near their ancestral homesteads. It is also tied to the early Reading Nichols family and is a good example of transitional Greek Revival-Italianate styling. 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 84002668, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1177 Main St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Brooks Nichols (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival-Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Alterations include a 1-1/2 story rear extension, a dormer and an exterior chimney; the form notes the house has not been moved. A garage stands on the lot. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.54652, -71.10401 (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 84002668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913897
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.