House at 206 West Street
Why it's listed
This Greek Revival house at 206 West Street in Reading, Massachusetts, dates from about 1831-1840 and was first owned by Henry M. Pratt, according to town valuation lists. It keeps the familiar five-bay Georgian-Federal plan but faces the street and carries classical Grecian details, including prominent sill, corner and cornice boards and an entrance with three-quarter length sidelights. The central gable was added later, along with a south extension, rear ell and deck. A neighborhood store is attached to the house, and the area is known as Dragon Corner, a name taken from a painted dragon weathervane set up nearby by Ephraim Weston in 1815. By 1875 Benjamin Peabody had established a pump factory on the property, making wooden pump stocks in several small buildings. The house was listed for its role in the neighborhood's development, its connection to small-scale local industry, and its example of modest Greek Revival design in Reading.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is significant for its role in the development of the Dragon Corner neighborhood. It also reflects a pump factory, one of Reading's small 19th-century industries. Finally, it is an example of the conservative but well-built Greek Revival cottages built in Reading from 1830 to 1860.
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 84002680, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 206 West St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002680 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling with an attached store; the form lists a garage and shed as outbuildings. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.51741, -71.12008 (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 84002680.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914088
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.