IN SPITE OF IT ALL T H E S P IT E H O U S E S O F A L E X A N D R I A Story by Liesel Schmidt | Photography by Lucia Smith
The Old Town landscape is rife with interesting buildings that hold centuries of history, complete with all the architectural peculiarities that come from that history—and the aptly named spite houses are among those quirky characteristics that make the area such a gem. Called "spite houses" because they were literally built to spite neighboring property owners, these structures are, by design, utterly impractical and strange. Creating obstructions to light or blocking access to adjacent buildings, these are the embodiment of rebelliousness, a brick-and-mortar example of just how intensely property owners could go toe-to-toe to assert their rights and mark their territory. Amidst the oldmeets-newness that makes Old Town Alexandria such a spectacularly charming community, spite houses pop up like wildflowers in a field of hothouse roses, mischievous little sprites among stoics. Imbued with stories and all the character that comes from withstanding the passage of so much time, the malice from which these architectural oddities were created has since been replaced by a sense of charm. The spite house that stands at 523 Queen Street is no exception, measuring seven feet wide and approximately 25 feet deep, its bright blue façade boldly announces its place as the narrowest house in America. Boasting a modest 325 square feet, the historic Hollensbury Spite House is two stories of spiteful planning at its finest. Built in 1830 by John 76 • VIP ALEXANDRIA MAGAZINE
Hollensbury, a local brickmaker and city council member who also owned the buildings on either side, the infinitesimal home was constructed with the explicit intent of barring passage for horse-drawn wagons and keeping rowdy loiterers out of his alley. More enclosed alleyway than house, the brick walls of the older houses create the side walls—complete with pockmarks from wagon wheels in the living room that testify to Hollensbury’s reasons for building it.
