A House Built for Revenge
Spite houses are structures built to annoy or obstruct others, often as acts of revenge. One of the most famous is the Hollensbury Spite House in Alexandria, Virginia, built in 1830. John Hollensbury constructed the narrow 7-foot-wide house to stop people from using his alleyway.
A Narrow Feud in Boston
In Boston, Massachusetts, a property dispute between two brothers led to the Boston Spite House. One brother, angered that the other took most of the inherited land, built a 10-foot-wide house to block his sibling’s sunlight and ruin his view.
New York’s Skinny House
The Skinny House in Mamaroneck, New York, was built in 1932 by a man who lost his home in the Great Depression. Given a strip of land, he constructed a 9.5-foot-wide house between larger homes, proving it was possible to live in a tiny space.
An International Phenomenon
Spite houses exist worldwide, including in China, France, and Japan. Some block roads, others disrupt businesses, but all share the same origin—personal disputes turned into permanent structures.
Spite houses are structures built to annoy or obstruct others, often as acts of revenge. One of the most famous is the Hollensbury Spite House in Alexandria, Virginia, built in 1830. John Hollensbury constructed the narrow 7-foot-widehouse to stop people from using his alleyway. pic.twitter.com/iMerOQnYMd
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) February 14, 2025