Parker, William, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1796 at 55 Walnut Street in Reading, this house began as a single-family dwelling and was greatly enlarged around 1810 into a Federal-style two-family residence. It was later converted back to a single-family home. The house sits on a small rise facing south, with a thick sill resting on large granite blocks and two interior chimneys, the larger centered on its three-bay section. Its history is tied to William Parker, who with 33 relatives joined a group of 90 dissenters from the Congregational Church in 1849. They were excommunicated and formed the Bethesda Congregational Church, and the two churches reunited in 1886. Parker's son Luther was an accomplished local artisan who built an organ, clocks, and a bass viola. Later, architect Willard P. Adden, of the firm Adden and Parker, lived here in 1916-1918. Alterations included dormers, an extension, a porch and a garage in 1968.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to William Parker and his family, who took part in the 1849 split from the Congregational Church that created the Bethesda Congregational Church. It is also linked to local architect Willard P. Adden. It is an example of an 18th-century half house expanded to a full house in the early 19th century.
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 84002791, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 55 Walnut St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002791 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | 1910 addition by Willard P. Adden |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a private single-family dwelling at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.50951, -71.10886 (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 84002791.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8016578
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.