Pratt, Stillman, House
Why it's listed
This Greek Revival cottage at 472 Summer Avenue in Reading was built probably in the late 1840s. It adapts the traditional one-and-one-half story Georgian-Federal vernacular form. Its high-pitched roof extends over a veranda supported by four fluted Ionic columns, and the front facade is flushboarded. Corner pilasters carry a Greek key motif, and windows and doors have fluted architrave surrounds with corner blocks. Only three houses in Reading share this form, and one stands very close by, suggesting they were built together or one served as a model. The house is linked with two shoe manufacturers who served the town. Stillman Pratt owned it in 1854, employed up to fifty men, and served as a selectman. Stillman E. Parker owned it in 1875, served as selectman, assessor and School Committee member, and represented the town in the General Court in 1859. It was listed for its place in the settlement at a four-road junction, these associations, and its largely intact architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites its role in the settlement node at the junction of four major roads, its link to two public-minded shoe manufacturers, Stillman Pratt and Stillman E. Parker, and its status as a largely intact example of the colonnaded-porch type of Greek Revival architecture. It is one of only three such houses in Reading.
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 84002799, listed July 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 472 Summer Ave., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002799 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Major alterations listed are an ell on the west and dormers on the south; the form says it retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51119, -71.10575 (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 84002799.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7617255
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.