The William Parker House is a historic house at 55 Walnut Street in Reading, Massachusetts. The 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame house was built c. 1796, was expanded early in the 19th century into a two family residence, and converted back into a single family in the early 20th century. It is notable for its association with William Parker, a dissenter from the doctrines espoused by the local Congregational Church. In 1849 he joined with other members of his extended family in splitting the congregation.[2]
In 1910 the house was purchased by Walter Scott Hopkins, a Boston merchant. Hopkins hired a local architect, Willard P. Adden, to return the house to its original single-family configuration and restore and renovate the house for use as a family home. Hopkins only owned the house for a few years before selling it to Adden c. 1916, though he too only lived there briefly, moving in 1918.[3][4][2] Adden later moved to Woburn Street.
