House at 242 Summer Avenue
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 for George Ives, this wood-shingled house at 242 Summer Avenue in Reading sits on a corner lot in a residential neighborhood, facing west toward an important street. Twin cross gables dominate the front facade, and the wall plane advances and recedes to form bays and shaded porches. A Palladian window marks the south side, while an open screened porch with a rounded roof and arched windows occupies the north. Windows are grouped horizontally, perhaps influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie-style houses, and the first-floor windows are leaded. A two-story porch extension was added at the southeast. Summer Avenue and its side streets were a prime area for well-to-do building in Reading, where many residents commuted to Boston by train. George Ives managed restaurants in Cambridge and Boston, including his father-in-law's Georgian Restaurant chain. The house is valued as a good example of Shingle-style architecture and as evidence of Reading's commuter suburb development.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its role in the development of Reading's west side as a well-to-do residential area for commuters and local businessmen. It is also a good example of Shingle-style domestic architecture. 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 84002681, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 242 Summer Ave., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002681 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Shingle |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.51948, -71.11503 (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 84002681.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715577
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.