Rev. Peter Sanborn House

The Common Historic District is a historic district encompassing the civic and institutional heart of Reading, Massachusetts. The district is centered on the town common, at the intersection of Main and Salem Streets. The common has been communally owned since at least 1737, with the original burying ground (expanded in the 19th century, and now known as Laurel Hill Cemetery) to the north. In 1769 the area's first meeting house (church and civic building) was built, giving the area a sense of identity separate from portions of Reading that would later be set off as Wakefield and North Reading. Since then the area has become a focal point for religious and civic institutions in the town.The most prominent feature of the district is the First Congregational Church, a 1913 replica of an 1817 church designed by Asher Benjamin that was destroyed by fire. The other church in the district is the stone Gothic Revival Christian Science Church on the west side of the common. The west side also includes the major municipal buildings: the library and town hall are brick Georgian Revival buildings dating to the early 20th century, as does the similarly-styled old high school building.There are also a few houses in the district, although a number of the older houses originally within its boundaries were moved to make way for some of the municipal buildings. One of the older houses is the 1817 Federal style house and shop of Thomas Pratt, located at the northeastern corner of the district. There is a row of 19th-century houses along Harnden and Salem Streets on the east side of the district. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The Bowser Gazebo is a historic gazebo at 25 Linden Street in Reading, Massachusetts. It is an open octagonal wooden structure, measuring about 10 by 10 feet (3.0 m × 3.0 m). It has a low cross-hatched balustrade, above which piers rise to support the octagonal bell-cast roof. The piers are paneled, with circular holes in the paneling. Above the piers is a large area of diagonal cross-hatching, with small rounded arches at the non-entry openings and larger round-arch openings at the entrances.The gazebo was designed by architect Horace G. Wadlin and built sometime before 1894. It is one of the only known surviving 19th century gazebos in Reading. It (and the house on the property) belonged to R. L. Bowser, owner of a local dry goods store.The gazebo was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The House at 57 Woburn Street in Reading, Massachusetts is a Queen Anne style house designed by architect Horace G. Wadlin and built c. 1889 for Alfred Danforth, railroad employee who served for a time as Reading's town clerk. It is one of the town's more elaborate Queen Anne houses, with patterned shingles and an ornately decorated porch. The front-facing gable is particularly elaborate, with wave-form shingling and a pair of sash windows set in a curved recess.The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Joseph Bancroft House is a historic house in Reading, Massachusetts. Built in the early 1830s, it is a prominent local example of Federal period architecture. It was built for a member of the locally prominent Bancroft family, who inherited a large tract of land in the area. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Brande House is a historic house in Reading, Massachusetts. Built in 1895, the house is a distinctive local example of a Queen Anne Victorian with Shingle and Stick style features. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Alden Batchelder House is a historic house in Reading, Massachusetts. Built in the early 1850s, it is an excellent example of an early Italianate design. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Reading Standpipe was a historic water tower atop a hill near the corner of Auburn and Beacon Streets in Reading, Massachusetts. The 138-foot (42 m) tower was built in 1890-91 as part of Reading's first water supply system and was for many years a significant community landmark. The tower was built of steel and wrought iron in a style reminiscent of medieval fortifications.The tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It was demolished in April 1999, leaving only its companion modern tower (erected in 1953), which itself was subsequently demolished and replaced with a communications tower.

The Carter Mansion is a historic house located in Reading, Massachusetts.

The Joseph Temple House is a historic house in Reading, Massachusetts. The Second Empire wood-frame house was built in 1872 by Joseph Temple, owner of locally prominent necktie manufacturer. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Reading Public Library is located in Reading, Massachusetts. Previously known as the Highland School, the two-story brick-and-concrete Renaissance Revival building was designed by architect Horace G. Wadlin and built in 1896–97. The building served the town's public school needs until 1981. It is the town's most architecturally distinguished school building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the year it was converted for use as the library.

The Masonic Block (also known as the M.F. Charles Building) is an historic commercial block in Reading, Massachusetts. This three story brick building is distinctive in the town for its Renaissance Revival styling. It was built in 1894 by the local Reading Masonic Temple Corporation, and housed the local Masonic lodge on the third floor. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Ace Art Company is a historic commercial and industrial building in Reading, Massachusetts. Built in 1924, the single-story brick building is the only Art Deco building in Reading. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.