Living in Reading
Reading is a town about 16 miles north of central Boston, bordered by Woburn, Stoneham, Wakefield, Lynnfield, North Reading and Wilmington. It was incorporated in 1644 and named after Reading, England. The Andover-Medford Turnpike, built in 1806 and 1807, is today’s Route 28, and the arrival of the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1845 turned Reading into a manufacturing town. Land north of the Ipswich River later became North Reading.
The downtown has a mix of retail and service businesses. Historic buildings include the Parker Tavern on Washington Street, built in 1694 and the town’s oldest remaining 17th-century structure. The Stephen Hall House, the Capt. Nathaniel Parker Red House and the Walnut Street School are on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1944 the town has been governed by a representative town meeting and a town manager.
Homes you will find
- Single-family homes on residential streets across town
- Older homes near the town center, including some historic properties
- Condos and apartment-style homes, including options near downtown
Getting around
Reading station is on the MBTA Haverhill Line, about 12 rail miles from North Station in Boston. MBTA bus routes 136 and 137 run between Reading station and Malden Center, where riders can connect to the Orange Line. On the way into Boston the train also stops in Wakefield and Melrose. Drivers have two major highways: I-93 runs south directly to central Boston, and I-95/Route 128 loops around Boston to the west.
Trails, conservation land and everyday life
Reading has a large network of conservation land. The Town Forest is its largest conservation area, and other areas include the Maillet, Mattera, Biller and Higgins conservation areas. The town publishes maps for trails such as the Ipswich River Greenway, the Aberjona River Headwaters Trail, the Bare Meadow Trail and the Reading Wildlife Corridor. Lake Quannapowitt, the old “Great Pond” beside the original settlement, is just over the line in Wakefield. Reading runs its own public school system, and families can contact Reading Public Schools directly for school details.
Who Reading suits
Reading is a good fit for commuters who want a commuter rail station in town plus quick access to both I-93 and I-95, buyers looking at a traditional New England town, and anyone who likes walking trails and conservation land close to home.
Curious about Reading? Ask Suad about recent sales and current listings, in English, Spanish (with Diana) or Bosnian.
