Parker House
Why it's listed
Set close to Salem Street in Reading, this clapboard farmhouse was raised in 1792 by Jonas Parker, apparently around a chimney left from an earlier house on the site that dated to at least 1715. It has five bays, a center entrance, a central chimney and two and a half stories. Its broad doorway, with sidelights reaching nearly to the sill, shallow pilasters, a deep entablature and a shallow hood, is more elaborate than most in town. The side door has an eaved entablature and small square panes above it. The land was once part of the large Boutwell farm. Jonas Parker, active in Revolutionary affairs, passed the house to his son Amos. Part of the Parker farm later became Memorial Park, given to the town in 1917 and built up during a community work day in 1919. The house was listed for its farmstead history, its Parker family ties, its park connection and its well-preserved Federal character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as an early farm homestead and for its link to the locally important Parker family and to Memorial Park, which was created on the former Parker farm. It is also valued as a well-preserved example of Federal architecture in Reading, with a more important door than is typical locally. 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 84002774, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 52 Salem St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002774 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.52750, -71.10021 (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 84002774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7138327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.