BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 Area Form no. 92 ba ralat to earest Town Reading Address 55 Walnut Street Historic Name William Parker House Use: Original dwelling Present dwelling Ownership: Private individual Private organization Public Original owner William Parker DESCRIPTION: Date Source c. 1796 Rooftrees Style Federal Architect _1910 addition by Willard P. Adden Exterior wall fabric clapboards, shingles Outbuildings none K2 Recorded by_ Architectural Preservation Associates Organization Reading Historical Com- Date Novembe REYISED Date 6-82 Major alterations (with dates)greatly enlarged (c. 1310); dormers, exten- sion, porch, garage added (1968); rear entry Moved Date Approx. acreage 23,633 sqe fte Setting_On small rise, facing south.
A new road cut off one side of the property 19/326700/4708280 (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) The exterior of this house displays traces of its 18th-century construction as a single-family house, and its early 19th-century expansion to a Federal two-family residence, before 20th-century reconversion to a single-family. It has a - thick sill resting on large blocks of granite. two interior chimneys is centered on its three-bay portion.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) This house is significant in Reading history as the home of William Parker, who -- with 33 other members of his family -- were part of the dissenting movement from the Congregational Church in 1349. The group of 90 dis- senters, who were excommunicated for their action, formed their own church, the Bethesda Congregational Church, in 1849 -- an a doctrinal break in the conmunity that remained unresolved until the two churches reunited in 1386. Williem Parker's son, luther, was known in Reading as an artisan of consic- erable talent. He constructed. an orgar, several clocks, bass viole in 1813, that his son, William Strong Parker, nlayed in the Bethesda Church. Later residents of the house includeå llalter S.
Hopkins, Sr., whose son, Walter, Jr., farmed a market garden known as Hill End Farm on 10 acres of the property. In 1916-1918 Willard P. Adden lived here. He was a principal in the firm OF Adden and Parker. They desisned the Reading Fublic Iibrery Geestoked the Old South Church, and collaborated with another architect, Sidebottom, on the Town Hall. Adden also remodeled 234 Summer Avenue (form no. C-113) and 217 Woburn Street (form no. C-131)- BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES 1830 map yes 1354 map 1375 map S.M. Pratt (Stillman) 1389map Bishop, Rooftrees, Chapter 40 20M-2/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity: Reading Form No: C-92 Property Name: 55 lalnut St. Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
CRIDTRIA FOR EVALUATION This croperty is sirnificant (1) for its role in the relirious dissent that formed the Bethesda Congresational Church; (2) for its connection with the lccall! important Parker family, and with the local architect Millard ?. Adden; and (3) as an example of an 18th-century half house mcanded to a full house in the early 19th century. It retains integrity of location, design, settins, materials, workmanship, and feeling, and neets Criteria A, D, and C of the National Perister. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.
10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group 879 Name State Reading Multiple Resource Area Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 71. Parker, Joseph, House Entered in the National Register 72. Parker, William, House Entered in the National Register Date/Signature fooper dueurua 4-1-64 Attest fkeeper AelmuByun 7-19-64 Attest 73. Pierce House Entered in the National Register ftreeper AuleuByun-19-6 Attest 74. Pierce Organ Pipe Factory Entered In the National Register fRéeper Aelru Bgu7-19-8 Attest 75. Pratt House Entered in the National Register foseeper Allorlyun715t4 Attest 76. Pratt, Stillman, House Entered in the Nationel Register fokeeper dulorsBgen 11984 Attest Entered In 77. Reading Municipal Building Wat1ona1 Reglstonfrtéeper AuloraByun71974 Attest 78.
Reading Municipal Light and Entered In the Power Station Watilonal Register fMreeper AilureDyer 119+4 Entered in the Attest Nationel Register 79. Roberts House fieeper OemurBgen 14954 Attest 80. Rowhouses at 256-274 Haven Street Entered In fis Nationel Beglister fkeeper AelurBye 1-19-84 Attest WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Re# E4002771 Parker, William, House (Reading MRA) Middlesex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: -sample _Jrequest 1484 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: 2/6 Date Due: _ 7-5-84 Entered in tfgtion: -ACCEPT 17-19-54 7-19-54 National Register -_ RETURN. REJECT_ Federal Agency: _ _appeal -NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer Discipline.
Date _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: - _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes L no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one -original site moved date 8.
Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked - relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13.
Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date Phone: _ Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet POLAROID O parker, Wllucn, Heuse Readlig MRA Ma 55 Walmi PKINS WALNUT PLAT 17 RED GATE PLAT 17 83.00 15,09 20 60.55 RED GATE LANE 100.00 .101.00 15,174 15,905 150 19 158.87 18 167.33 21 120.58 16,735 17 95.89 2572 $9:00 3000 99.00 95. 00 84.42 HOLLY? 297.00 49.75 209.26. 78.00 49 21 23,633 - TRAVEL 113.75 11,140 40 a 63.57 100.00 64.78. 76.89 512.99 41 10,043 N 23.83 24.96. 6982 .:4,263 89.25 16 12.872 2.38 15 60.00 146.16 67.16 54.00 48 1003l 47 1,163 g 85.00 PEN 116.40 810413/4 13503 [ 9,79| |3 N 13534 93273 46 54.54-76 19,062 24 11.121 A 64.89 STREET 05'89!
36 58.49 22 19908 229.58 23630 138.35 52.0 3635 50.0 41.80 3067 87.42 42 11,618 199 -70.24 80.00 00.00 43 10,420 ROAD 80.00 44 10178 :100.00 318.18 115.00 91.90 45 10,103 113.00 82.0 2225 19.4- 73.50 753 300 835 55.0 34 094 104.29 14,235 65'E04. 79:912 33 80.50 32 80.0 #C-92 55 Walnut St. Map 18, Lot 21 1983 Assessors Map 1' = 100' 75.2 2.179.Acres 31 25G.50 ITREET 5-0 18,345 30 28 5.81 .73 19/.80 14,547 191.80 29 31.0 65.0 121 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000290