Sibling Rivalry: This Skinny House in Massachusetts Was Built for Revenge

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

So let's head to the North End in Boston during the Civil War, where there's a blink-and-miss-it home built out of sibling rivalry.  According to Atlas Obscura, this cute home affectionally dubbed the 'Skinny House' was built solely to block the view of the constructor's brother's home directly behind it.  Atlas Obscura says this sibling rivalry erupted over one of the oldest reasons on the planet.  You guessed it: money and inheritance, which the Skinny House brother claims was distributed unfairly.

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 home on the remaining land and ruined 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.