House at 322 Haven Street
Why it's listed
This clapboard cottage on Haven Street in Reading, Massachusetts, dates from roughly 1876 to 1889 and faces south close to the street. Its steeply pitched gable roof and cutwork along the raking eaves point to the Early Gothic Revival, while the double front door, the bracketed doorway hood and the front bay window reflect Italianate taste. One-story additions extend the house to the west and rear. Early records connect it with Elizabeth B. Nichols and her husband David Henry Nichols, a cordwainer, or shoemaker, whose trade was central to Reading's economy. After Elizabeth's death in 1900 the property passed to her daughter, and later occupants included a rubber worker, probably a tenant, and a carpenter who owned it in 1926. The house was listed for its part in the development of Reading's east side as a working-class and small-business neighborhood, for the shoemaking connection, and for its blend of two architectural styles. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house reflects the 19th-century growth of Reading's east side as a neighborhood of working-class residents and small businesses. It is also tied to David Henry Nichols, a shoemaker in Reading's important shoemaking trade, and it combines Early Gothic Revival and Italianate styles in an unusual way.
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 84002686, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 322 Haven St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002686 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Gothic Revival-Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.52352, -71.10093 (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 84002686.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914239
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.