Discover Reading’s History at the Parker Tavern

A Witness House

Built in 1694 by blacksmith and farmer Abraham Bryant Jr., Parker Tavern is the oldest surviving structure in Reading, Mass. This unassuming saltbox-style home later became a resting spot for weary travelers when Ephraim Parker, great-grandson of Reading's founder, obtained a license (held from 1770 to 1785) to take in travelers and serve them food and drink. During the Revolutionary War, Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell, a Scottish Highlander, was a prisoner of war within these walls between June of 1776 and January of 1778. Parker himself answered the call to arms on April 19, 1775, embedding the tavern deeply in the nation's early history. ​

A Public Treasure

Throughout most of the 19th century until the late 1800s, the property was farmed and maintained by the Sweetser family. After changing hands several times, it was acquired by the town in 1916 and sold to the Reading Antiquarian Society (RAS). RAS restored the tavern and opened it to the public in 1930 as a historic house museum. It has remained in RAS’s ownership and care ever since.

Today, visitors can explore this testament to colonial resilience and Revolutionary fervor and view exhibits that trace the region’s social evolution through the late 1800s.

Visit & Explore

  • Open May through October on Sundays from 2-5 PM.

  • Enjoy guided tours of the house, grounds, and gardens.