Sibling Rivalry: How and Why This Home Was Built Purely for Spite

Oh yes, sibling rivalry is one of the oldest reasons for revenge, whether you know brothers and sisters who fit the bill or see this common plot line in television shows, movies, and books.

It may not be on any major tourist attraction list, but it definitely attracts attention and is one of those must-visit destinations, thanks to word of mouth, in one of Boston, Massachusetts' most popular neighborhoods.

Whether you're visiting or a local, the North End is one of the city's most popular places for Italian food, quaint shopping, with a very European feel, and this house that was built for revenge.

It all started during the Civil War.

According to Atlas Obscura, this charming home, affectionately dubbed the 'Skinny House,' was built solely to block the view of his brother's home directly behind it.

Atlas Obscura says this sibling rivalry erupted over some of the oldest reasons on the planet. Can you guess what those are?

You guessed it: money and inheritance, which the Skinny House brothers claim were distributed unfairly between them.

Apparently, when the Skinny House brother returned home from the war, his brother had already built a large home for himself on land they inherited from their deceased father.

That's when he built his house on the remaining land, thereby ruining his brother's view.

Skinny House at 44 Hull Street is just 10 feet wide and 30 feet deep, but oh, how powerfully large it is, figuratively speaking.

According to Boston Uncovered, it's also properly nicknamed the 'Spite House' and prominently sits on Boston's Freedom Trail tour, so tourists can hear or read about this unique history.

It's across from Copp's Hill Burying Ground at Hull Street in the popularly delicious hot spot of the North End neighborhood. According to the Today Show, the Spite House is even engraved on a plaque on the front of the home.

The Today Show says the absolutely beautiful home sold for $1.25 million in 2021, with a prior selling price of $900,000 in 2017. When you really think about it, Boston is a city where you can find small or narrow apartments, so it fits in just fine.

Let's take a look inside.

Skinny New England Home Built Out of Spite

As the story goes according to Boston Magazine, the home was said to have been built by a man in 1890 on a plot of land that was left by his father to him and his brother. Well, this guy had been off fighting in the Civil War, and once he returned he discovered that his brother had gone ahead and built a big house on that land.

Then, out of pure spite he built the skinny spite house on the remaining plot between his brother's house and another building to block sunlight and harbor views from his brother.

It went up for sale in 2021 for around $1.2 million by Carmela Laurella CL Properties, and later sold that year for $1.25 million.