See Boston's Skinny House, Which People Think Was Built Out of Spite

The exterior facade and one of the bedrooms of a skinny house in Boston. — Boston's famed skinny house last sold in 2021, but tour groups and history buffs continue to debate its origins. CL Properties

Updated 2024-09-25T15:08:11Z

A 10-foot-wide Boston home rumored to have been built out of spite sold for $1.25 million in 2021.
One explanation is that a man built it after finding his brother took up most of their shared land.
The origin story is likely an urban legend, but the 1,000-square-foot space is certainly charming.

A 10-foot-wide home in Boston — which a 2005 Boston Globe article called the city's skinniest — last sold for $1.25 million in 2021.

Many local legends attempt to explain the origins of Boston's skinny house, located on Hull Street in the city's North End.

There are various versions of the myth, but one of the most popular was rehashed in a 2015 Boston magazine article. The house is said to have been built as a result of a land dispute between brothers in the mid-1800s. The skinny-house builder was a soldier who, after returning from war, was angry that his brother had built an expansive property on land they'd both inherited and wanted to annoy him as punishment.

While the spite-filled origin story was one of the things that attracted onlookers and commenters after the skinny house hit the market in 2021, there is substantial evidence that pokes holes in that version of events.

Nonetheless, two things are almost certainly true: the house is old, and it's pretty quirky. See for yourself.

Legend has it that the soldier built the skinny home on the remaining property in 1862, blocking all sunlight to parts of his brother's massive home, according to the magazine.

The skinny house in Boston in 2021. — Boston legend has it that the skinny house at 44 Hull Street was built out of spite. But old photographs and maps say otherwise. CL Properties

But the legend might be nothing more than a myth, as historical maps and old photos indicate it might have instead been carved out of an existing structure sometime between 1875 and 1888.

A wooden plaque reading "The Skinny House (Spite House) Est. 1962" hangs outside 44 Hull Street in Boston. — The funky-looking house was probably not built out of spite in 1862, contrary to popular belief. CL Properties

Today, despite its small size—at just over 1,000 square feet—the two-bedroom home has a full-size kitchen on the first floor, according to its Zillow listing from when it was on the market in 2021.

A narrow kitchen with wood floors, white cabinetry, and dark counter tops. — The kitchen on the home's first floor. CL Properties

The skinny house listed for $1.2 million in August 2021 and sold for $1.25 million in September 2021, according to the Zillow listing and public records. The Zestimate, or Zillow estimate, of the value of the house as of September 2024 was $1.26 million.

According to the same listing, the first floor includes a dining room, a living space, and a door to a balcony overlooking private gardens.

A dining room with a table on the left and a door in the back center. — The home's living and dining areas. CL Properties

Source: Zillow

Upstairs, the second floor includes the bathroom, laundry room, and a sitting area.

A washer and dryer on the right and windows on the left. — The second-floor laundry room and bathroom. CL Properties

Source: Zillow

There's only one bathroom in the home. At the time it sold, it came with a blue-tile backsplash, contrasting with exposed brick.

A bathroom with small blue tiling and a window above the sink — The home's only bathroom. CL Properties

The second-floor sitting area has a window overlooking some greenery outside.

Stairs lead to a living room with wood floors and a mounted TV on the left side. There's a window in the back — The home's second-floor seating area. CL Properties

The windows in the hallway on the second floor face a brick wall of the property next door.

A narrow hallway with wood floors, a window on the left, and a descending staircase on the right — A hallway in the home. CL Properties

Past the living space, a narrow hallway leads to a staircase.

A brick wall and staircase on the left side of a room with wood floors and a window in the back — The staircase on the home's second floor. CL Properties

On the third floor, there's another sitting area, according to the home's Zillow listing.

A room with exposed brick with stairs leading up to a sitting area with a window in the back — The home's third-floor sitting area. CL Properties

Source: Zillow

The other half of the floor is used as a guest bedroom, according to the listing.

A room with exposed brick on the left and bunkbeds in the middle — The home's guest bedroom. CL Properties

Source: Zillow

The primary suite takes up the whole fourth floor and has access to a private rooftop, according to Zillow.

A room with blue walls on the left and exposed brick on the right. Two sets of stairs in the back left corner. — The home's primary suite. CL Properties

Source: Zillow

In the primary bedroom, there's shelving for clothing against exposed brick.

A bedroom with blue walls, exposed brick on the left and two windows in the back — The home's primary bedroom. CL Properties

Across from the bed, there's room for a nook.

A room with exposed brick and a mirror on the left and blue walls on the other sides.There's a window in the middle. — A nook in the home's primary suite. CL Properties

The stairs in the suite lead to the rooftop deck, from which you can see a view of the city.

A view of Boston from the rooftop on a clear day. — A view of Boston from the roof. CL Properties

Back on the ground, the property has a private garden.

A courtyard outside of the home with trees and seating areas — The home's private garden. CL Properties

There are a few seating areas for entertaining outdoors.

Source: Zillow

Boston's skinny house, which everyone thinks was built out of spite, is worth over $1 million. Take a look inside.

Legend has it that the soldier built the skinny home on the remaining property in 1862, blocking all sunlight to parts of his brother's massive home, according to the magazine.

But the legend might be nothing more than a myth, as historical maps and old photos indicate it might have instead been carved out of an existing structure sometime between 1875 and 1888.

Today, despite its small size—at just over 1,000 square feet—the two-bedroom home has a full-size kitchen on the first floor, according to its Zillow listing from when it was on the market in 2021.

According to the same listing, the first floor includes a dining room, a living space, and a door to a balcony overlooking private gardens.

Upstairs, the second floor includes the bathroom, laundry room, and a sitting area.

There's only one bathroom in the home. At the time it sold, it came with a blue-tile backsplash, contrasting with exposed brick.

The second-floor sitting area has a window overlooking some greenery outside.

The windows in the hallway on the second floor face a brick wall of the property next door.

Past the living space, a narrow hallway leads to a staircase.

On the third floor, there's another sitting area, according to the home's Zillow listing.

The other half of the floor is used as a guest bedroom, according to the listing.

The primary suite takes up the whole fourth floor and has access to a private rooftop, according to Zillow.

In the primary bedroom, there's shelving for clothing against exposed brick.

Across from the bed, there's room for a nook.

The stairs in the suite lead to the rooftop deck, from which you can see a view of the city.

Back on the ground, the property has a private garden.

There are a few seating areas for entertaining outdoors.

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Boston's skinny house, which everyone thinks was built out of spite, is worth over $1 million. Take a look inside.

Legend has it that the soldier built the skinny home on the remaining property in 1862, blocking all sunlight to parts of his brother's massive home, according to the magazine.

But the legend might be nothing more than a myth, as historical maps and old photos indicate it might have instead been carved out of an existing structure sometime between 1875 and 1888.

Today, despite its small size—at just over 1,000 square feet—the two-bedroom home has a full-size kitchen on the first floor, according to its Zillow listing from when it was on the market in 2021.

According to the same listing, the first floor includes a dining room, a living space, and a door to a balcony overlooking private gardens.

Upstairs, the second floor includes the bathroom, laundry room, and a sitting area.

There's only one bathroom in the home. At the time it sold, it came with a blue-tile backsplash, contrasting with exposed brick.

The second-floor sitting area has a window overlooking some greenery outside.

The windows in the hallway on the second floor face a brick wall of the property next door.

Past the living space, a narrow hallway leads to a staircase.

On the third floor, there's another sitting area, according to the home's Zillow listing.

The other half of the floor is used as a guest bedroom, according to the listing.

The primary suite takes up the whole fourth floor and has access to a private rooftop, according to Zillow.

In the primary bedroom, there's shelving for clothing against exposed brick.

Across from the bed, there's room for a nook.

The stairs in the suite lead to the rooftop deck, from which you can see a view of the city.

Back on the ground, the property has a private garden.

There are a few seating areas for entertaining outdoors.

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