Prescott

Massachusetts ghost towns are mill villages from the first Industrial Revolution — some of the oldest ruins in America.

The Eaton–Prescott House is a historic house at 284 Summer Avenue in Reading, Massachusetts, United States. Its oldest portion was probably built before 1757. By that year it had acquired a leanto section, since removed or incorporated into the main structure of the house. It is now a principally Georgian style house, although its door surround dates to the Greek Revival period of the 1830s-1840s. The house stands on land that was in the Eaton family as far back as the late 17th century. The house remained in the same family until the last local descendant of the Prescotts died in 1902.

Prescott was lost to rising water — a flooded ghost town claimed by a reservoir or dam project. These sites sometimes reemerge during droughts, drawing photographers and the curious. Never venture onto exposed lakebeds against posted orders.

Access here is restricted, so confirm the current rules with the managing agency or landowner before you go. Showing up unannounced is the fastest way to get turned away.

Contact the managing agency or landowner first to learn the current access rules for Prescott.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.

The ground itself demands respect: open mine shafts, collapsing floors, and old wells hide in tall grass, cell service is often nonexistent, and help can be hours away. Tell someone your plans, pack more water than you think you'll need — and save the early morning or late afternoon light for your camera.

Want the full story? The Wikipedia article on "Eaton–Prescott House" covers Prescott in more depth — find the link in Sources below. County archives, historic newspaper collections, and the state historical society are the next stops after that: plat maps, census rolls, and old photographs fill in what a short visit can't. If you make the trip, consider sharing your photos and notes — firsthand reports are how the record of Prescott gets better.