House at 79-81 Salem Street
Why it's listed
This two-family house on Salem Street in Reading was built between about 1840 and 1850 for Samuel R. Allen, a carpenter or house builder. It is essentially a Federal cottage with narrow cornerboards, a cornice and short gable returns, given an unusually elaborate Greek Revival doorway. The doorway has a tall entablature and pilasters enriched with a Greek key design, and its generous proportions set it apart from many similar five-bay, one-and-one-half-story cottages in the area that lacked classical doorway surrounds. The windows also project from the plane of the wall. Allen died in 1853, and his widow, Lucy, lived in half of the house for many years. Later occupants included cabinet-trade workers and a German family, reflecting the cabinetmaking industry that dominated the neighborhood. A planing mill nearby served that industry until 1906. The house is valued for its place in Salem Street's development and as a largely intact local example of its style.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its role in the development of Salem Street as a 19th-century residential and commercial neighborhood. It is also a largely intact example of a Federal-Greek Revival cape-style cottage, notable for an unusually elaborate Greek Revival doorway. It meets Criteria A and C.
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 84002676, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 79-81 Salem St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002676 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal-Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a two-family dwelling; alterations include a south extension and changes to fenestration, including dormers. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.52654, -71.09847 (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 84002676.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914466
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.