Reading Hardware Company Butt Works
Why it's listed
Built in 1875 for manufacturing at the corner of Willow and Pearl Streets in Reading, this factory loft building was the butt works of the Reading Hardware Company. It is made of three-wythe common bond brick, with four stories along Willow Street and three along Pearl Street, and it has heavy timber trusses, large double and triple hung wood sash, and open floors with columns set at ten-foot spacing. Its roof-level cast iron stars and a central lantern-lit boiler house add distinctive character. The Reading Hardware Company was known for its bronze and iron locks, latches and butts, supplied hotels and offices in several cities, and won first prize at the Centennial and Paris Expositions. The building is regarded as an especially fine example of nineteenth century factory loft construction and one of very few of its type remaining in Reading. It is among the last surviving parts of the city's iron industry complex.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the building as an especially fine example of nineteenth century factory loft construction and one of very few similar buildings of its type in Reading. It is also presented as one of the last remnants of Reading's iron industry and the Reading Hardware Company complex, whose hardware was widely known for design and reached international fame at the Centennial and Paris Expositions.
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 79002170, listed November 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 537 Willow St., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | November 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002170 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1875 |
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The entire structure is described as in extremely good condition apart from minor deterioration of some masonry walls. |
| Acreage | 7.7 |
| Coordinates | 40.32482, -75.92545 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 79002170.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7300515
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.