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Residing in a residence erected in 1780 adjacent to the alley, Hollensbury’s motivation for erecting the infamous Spite House is shrouded in three distinct narratives. The living room is complete with a couch and TV center while the sitting room has a bookshelf, grey chairs, and a huge window to let in natural light. The narrow home was sold to a single resident and their pet cat in the most populated municipality in Tokyo, Toshima Ward. I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! “It brings an immediate reaction,” Ms. Sammis said, with most expressing amazement.
Q: How small is the Spite House in Alexandria, VA?
This narrow, bright blue brick home is nestled between two larger brick houses. The home is crested with a silver plaque demonstrating its historical significance, and the windows and doors are trimmed in a light cream and beige hue. Locals and tourists alike know this home is worth visiting when they pass through Alexandria. The lesson of the spite house seems to be, never underestimate a determined property owner.
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Though this common characteristic is shared by the four houses, the home on Queen is both the narrowest and the smallest. “You have to use the garden,” Mr. Sammis said, referring to a walled patio that is 7 feet wide and about 12 feet deep. Dubbed "the narrowest home in America" by Ripley's Believe It or Not and the Oprah Winfrey Network, the Hollensbury Spite House is 7 feet wide, 25 feet deep, and a total of 325 square feet. The legality of spite houses is the same as a normal home in whichever jurisdiction it is built in. The municipal codes for the specific city and county of the spite house can be used to determine if its dimensions and location are actually legal. Spite houses are a very interesting concept all around that reveal a lot about human nature and architecture in one fell swoop.
WATCH: Come and explore Old Town Alexandria’s most miniature mansion — built purely out of spite
Built out of spite by John Hollensbury, this home is infamous around the world. After Toy refused a neighbor’s offer to buy the remaining land, someone bet him that he couldn’t use the land for anything. Toy commissioned local architects to design a 2-story steel structure with a large basement that actually ran underneath the street.
Alley dwellings were particularly popular in the District, as a result of population density and a need for cheap housing, according to Urban Ecologist. In Alexandria, an alley house would have been a cheap way to build, since the owner would only have to construct the rear and front walls and a roof. This house has become a cultural landmark, attracting visitors intrigued by its peculiar history and architectural design, contributing to the local heritage and tourism appeal of Alexandria, VA. The concept of spite houses dates back centuries, with the earliest known examples tracing back to the 18th and 19th centuries. They emerged as a manifestation of personal disputes and societal tensions, often serving as rebellious statements against prevailing norms.
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Here are a few of the common questions that come up as people start learning about spite homes. With a gorgeous garden that opens directly into the dining room, a spiral staircase, bright blue bar, and modern bathroom, there is a lot to love. The house also includes two bedrooms, a study, plenty of closet space, a roof terrace, and a landscaped garden. Located in Washington, D.C., the origin of the Georgetown spite house isn’t fully agreed upon. In 1933, an article in The Washington Post claimed that this spite house was built as a feud between neighbors, with the purpose of blocking light and air from being able to enter one neighbor’s windows.
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America's Skinniest Home Is 7 Feet Wide and Was Built Out of Spite - Business Insider
America's Skinniest Home Is 7 Feet Wide and Was Built Out of Spite.
Posted: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Spite houses, such as the renowned ones in Alexandria, VA, hold a distinct place in architectural history, often arising from a blend of creativity and conflict. These structures, born out of spite and designed with a touch of architectural ingenuity, have left an indelible mark on the city’s landscape. According to local legend – and it's just the most interesting one that circulates – the house stands on land that was left to two brothers by their father. While one was away serving in the American Civil War, the other took advantage, building himself a large home on the plot, certain that there was no room for a house to be built next to it.
The Spite House in Alexandria, Virginia
Next to the cupboard under the stairs is a wooden kitchen table, pushed against the wall. Space is tight but there's room for two to dine comfortably, three or four at a push. Clever use is made of vertical space, with high shelves for display of antique artefacts. This historic home is just 7ft wide and around 25ft deep, and 325 sq ft in total across its two stories. Painted bright blue, it's a tourist attraction that Alexandria is rightly proud of. And, as you might hope, it comes with a history as fascinating as its proportions.
You Know the Famous One, but There Are Really Four Spite or Alley Houses in Alexandria, Virginia
The second of the potential truths surrounding the construction of this tiny tenement is rooted far more in a neighbor's grudge. Legend has it that Mr. Hollensbury and his neighbor who occupied the home at 521 Queen Street were good friends early on in their relationship. However, as they continued to live next to each other, they began to have more frequent disagreements due to their close proximity to one another. Too large to properly fit in the alley, it frequently scraped the side of Mr. Hollensbury's home, damaging the brick he had worked so hard to make and build into his home. Their neighbor friendship continued to sour until the mid to late 1820s when, due to an unknown dispute, Mr. Hollensbury couldn't take it anymore.
The elder brother gobbled up the inheritance and constructed a large residence, relegating a narrow strip for the younger sibling’s dwelling. Whether it’s the charming gingerbread cottages of Martha’s Vineyard or the classic federalist row houses on Acorn Street, there’s always a new and intriguing type of architecture to discover. Since 2009, this skinny dwelling has lived on as the main office of a local interior decorating firm in Massachusetts — Annie Hall Interiors.
However, some famous spite homes, like the Plum Island Pink House, have been abandoned and is commonly rumored to be haunted. The Sam Kee Building, also known as the Jack Chow Building, is a remarkable example of a spiteful structure with a unique twist. Located in Vancouver, Canada, is it dubbed the “narrowest commercial building in the world.” It is a mere 4’ 11” wide on the first floor. Residents of Prince Street may have noticed the next alley house, although maybe not for its size. The house at 403 Prince St., while tiny at less than 8-feet wide and 600 sq.
And they include America's smallest house, The Spite House in Queen Street, Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. In the modern day, the first instinct in a similar situation might be to complain to the police, your neighborhood listserve, or perhaps pursue legal action. Hollensbury had a refreshing streak of self reliance and simply began bricking off the alleyway in question. Two parallel walls and a roof transformed the former byway into a quaint addition to his personal residence.
Fueled by the desire to outmaneuver his adversary, he constructed a peculiarly shaped house on a narrow strip of land. This unconventional dwelling, known as the Hollensbury Spite House, stands as a testament to the lengths people would go to in order to settle personal vendettas. In today’s edition of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax visits the “Spite House” in historic Old Town Alexandria to tell the story of a fed up brickmaker, horse-drawn carriage rides and expensive real estate. There is a cupboard under the stairs with space for a microwave oven on top; on the opposite wall of this narrowest of galley kitchens is a kitchen counter, which houses a range, a kitchen sink, a refrigerator and freezer.
In 2008, Jack Sammis’s wife, Colleen, stated that they were using the house mostly at weekends while his primary residence was in nearby Arlington. Jack purchased the home for $135,000 in 1990, and he and his wife Colleen had been using the home as a pied-à-terre, the New York Times reported in 2008. Road-trip to this Gulf town with your girls for a small-town retreat with plenty of Southern charm, delicious seafood, and unexpected adventure. Shops, art galleries, and lovely architecture dot this stunner on Biloxi Bay, and you can relish in the quiet solitude that is only offered on a winter trip to the beach. In a noteworthy chapter of its history, the Hollensbury Spite House transitioned from residential quarters to serving as a school before reverting to its residential roots. Initially, this diminutive Spite House shared a connection with Hollensbury’s original residence, but over time, they underwent a physical separation, acquiring distinct addresses.
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