Early Parker House : 458 Franklin Street

458 Franklin Street : Now demolished. It seems a bit unusual to stop at an address that no longer exists and see two contemporary houses that replaced an old homestead. Although all vestiges of the past are erased from the site, the story of the place is of interest. In 1976 a major fire destroyed most of another early Parker house that had stood here for 250 years! This house sheltered several generations of Parkers and sent off two patriots one an experienced soldier and the other a fatherless 19-year-old boy. The 19 year old was Benjamin Parker, named for his father, Benjamin, who had served in the Colonial Wars in 1754. He died two years later leaving a widow and his 5-month-old son. The "experienced soldier" previously mentioned, was an uncle to the 19-year-old Benjamin. This uncle, Asa Parker, grew up in the house along with his brother, Benjamin and seven siblings. Asa was a corporal in the expedition to Crown Pt. in 1759 during the French and Indian War and carried the same rank on April 19, 1775. By 1869, the house left Parker family influence when it and 80 acres were sold to Henry Cook. Cook was a Civil War veteran and was a pallbearer at President Lincoln's funeral. An artist of some recognition, several of Cook's paintings still survive. He later moved to #326 Franklin St. and died in 1920 at the age of 85.

Listen Now (or right-click to save file)

Institution: Reading Public Library

Producer: Reading Public Library

Narrator: Gina Snyder

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Reading

Franklin Street (Reading, Mass.)

Walkable Reading

03-2010

image/jpeg

audio/mpeg

eng

Reading, Mass. : Walkable Reading

Architecture, Domestic

Dwellings

sound recording-nonmusical

still image

Sound recordings

Photographs