Boston's skinniest home is 10 feet wide and built out of spite

© Provided by INSIDERThe house is just 10.4 feet wide. Roadtrip New England

• Boston Skinny House is a 10.4-feet-wide, historic home that was reportedly built out of spite.
• Legend says a soldier came home to the majority of his inherited land taken by his brother.
• So he built a house on the scant remaining piece of property, which blocked his brother's sunlight.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A trip to Boston, Massachusetts, often features a walk along the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path with stops highlighting US history. Visitors dive into America's past by stopping at historic destinations like the Paul Revere House and the Boston Massacre Site.

One of the lesser-known and unofficial stops near the Freedom Trail is Boston's Skinny House, a 10.4-foot-wide home located in North End Boston at 44 Hull St.

The narrow, four-story house isn't a cornerstone of American history, but it is Boston's skinniest home, according to a 2005 The Boston Globe story.

Beyond its small size, the house also draws visitors thanks to the spiteful story behind how the house came to be.

The 10.4-foot-wide house was built out of spite

© Google MapsAn arrow points to the Boston Skinny House, located at 44 Hull St. Google Maps

According to Boston Magazine, local legend has it that the 1,166-square-foot house was built in 1862 after a feud between two brothers.

One went off to serve in the Civil War, while the other stayed in Boston. When the brothers' father died, they inherited a piece of land. The brother who remained in Boston built an expansive home on the inherited property.

But when the soldier returned from war, he came home to a meager piece of land - hardly enough space for a house.

Out of spite, the brother is said to have built a slim house on the remainder of the lot, which blocked all the sunlight and view of his brother's home.

Today, it's a private home © Santi Visalli/Getty Images/Roadtrip New England/InstagramThe house has been painted multiple colors over the years. Santi Visalli/Getty Images/Roadtrip New England/Instagram

Today, the two-bedroom, one-bathroom home is privately owned. It sold for $900,000 in 2017, according to the real estate firm Cabot and Company. The current owners of the home did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The entrance of the home is tucked inside the alleyway, and inside, the home's narrowest interior point is just 6.2-feet wide, according to Boston Magazine. This means a tall adult could easily touch both ends of the home.

Boston Magazine's Madeline Bilis toured the home when it was listed in 2017 and said it "felt more spacious than anticipated."

The first floor is home to the kitchen and dining room area. The second floor is the living room and bathroom. The third and fourth floors are bedrooms, according to Boston Magazine.

It's a quick detour from Boston's Freedom Trail

© diegograndi/Getty ImagesA stop along Boston's Freedom Trail. diegograndi/Getty Images

The Boston Skinny House is a familiar story for many Boston locals, but unaware visitors might walk right past it.

Walter Pierce is one of those locals who has heard the legend many times. Walter and his wife Danielle Pierce travel to historic destinations across the Northeast and record their adventures on the Instagram account Roadtrip New England.

Walter, who currently lives in Boston and has visited the house a handful of times, told Insider that he'll often spot visitors outstretching their arms to show just how narrow the house is.

The only marker of the home is a small plaque that read's "The Skinny House (Spite House) Est. 1862," he said.

For those visiting the city, Walter said it's worth the quick detour. The house sits at the top of the hill nearby two of Boston's most historic landmarks: Copp's Hill Burying Ground and Old North Church, which are both stops on the Freedom Trail in Boston's North End neighborhood.

"If you're visiting Boston, you're probably going to end up in the North End at some point," Walter told Insider. "So it's worth walking up the hill."