Nobody Called It “Spite House” Until the 1900s
The famous blue building wasn’t always known as the Spite House. For decades, locals just called it “the alley house” or “Hollensbury’s folly.” The first documented use of “Spite House” appeared in a 1950 newspaper article, over a century after it was built.
City directories from 1850-1900 consistently listed it as the “Queen Street Alley Dwelling” without any mention of spite. The house only got its iconic bright blue paint job in 1985 – before that, it was a boring beige that blended in with neighboring buildings.
Turns out spite gets more marketable with age.
You Can Literally Touch Wagon Wheel Scrapes from the 1800s
Step inside the Spite House and you’ll run your fingers along actual gouges in the brick walls made by horse-drawn carriages that used to roll through before the house existed.
Some of these scrapes go 2.5 inches deep – those wagon drivers weren’t exactly getting five-star Uber ratings. Local historian Tim Rose points out that you can tell the wagons had axles about 30 inches high based on where the marks hit the walls.
The brick walls themselves are over a foot thick and have weathered nearly two centuries of Alexandria weather. When you touch these marks, you’re literally making physical contact with the reason this weird little house exists in the first place.
Tiny Schoolchildren Once Crammed Inside for Lessons
This super-narrow house served as a schoolhouse in the late 1800s, with a teacher named Margaret Tate somehow fitting up to eight young students inside.
The upstairs was converted into a classroom where kids sat shoulder-to-shoulder learning reading and arithmetic. Alexandria Historical Society documents confirm the school operated from 1878 to 1895, teaching mostly merchants’ kids.
Tate charged 25 cents per week per student – not bad considering the extreme space limitations. The building still has some of the original slate boards mounted on the walls where lessons were taught.
Imagine trying to keep eight kids from bouncing off the walls when the walls are only 7 feet apart.
Three Different Stories Explain Why It Exists
The horse-carriage-blocking story isn’t the only explanation for why this house exists.
Another version claims Hollensbury built it after a falling out with his neighbor to block their window views and access to light – hardcore passive-aggressive architectural warfare. A third, much cuter theory suggests Hollensbury built it as a playhouse for his two daughters, and the spite narrative came later to attract tourists.
According to an Alexandria building inspector who studied the structure, the spite angle might be exaggerated since it was likely built for practical additional living space. The house was originally connected to Hollensbury’s main home before being separated into distinct addresses.
There’s a Secret Garden Hidden Behind the House
Behind the skinny blue house sits a hidden 7-foot-wide garden and patio that tourists never see. This mini outdoor paradise is just 12 feet deep and was completely redesigned in 1992 by interior consultant Matt Hannan.
The brick patio features a specific herringbone pattern using reclaimed 18th-century bricks. A 6-foot garden wall provides privacy, and there’s even a small hidden gate connecting to the adjacent property.
Previous owners somehow squeezed a small cafe table and two chairs into the space. The garden gets bizarre light patterns from being surrounded by tall buildings, creating a microclimate where certain shade plants grow like crazy.
The Interior Walls Actually Belong to Other Buildings
Those brick walls inside the Spite House? They’re actually the exterior walls of the buildings next door. The western wall belongs to 525 Queen Street (Hollensbury’s original home) and the eastern wall is part of 521 Queen Street.
This weird construction saved serious cash but created the unusual feature of exposed brick throughout. The mortar sealing the roof to these walls dates to 1830 and uses a distinctive lime-sand mixture common back then.
This construction technique makes it one of only five buildings in Alexandria with this structural setup. The house stays naturally cooler in summer thanks to these thick brick walls, but needs extra heating in winter.
The Original Pine Floors Have Survived Almost 200 Years
The Spite House still has its original heart pine floors from 1830, crafted from old-growth longleaf pines that were already hundreds of years old when cut.
Wood experts who examined them during a 1992 renovation counted 30-35 growth rings per inch, showing how dense this old-growth timber was. The floorboards measure exactly 5 inches wide throughout the house, with lengths varying from 8 to 14 feet.
They were originally secured with hand-forged square nails, many of which are still in place. The natural amber patina that’s developed over two centuries is impossible to replicate in modern flooring – it’s literally 200 years of people walking on revenge.
Alexandria Actually Has Four Historic Spite Houses
The Queen Street Spite House isn’t a one-off – Alexandria has three other narrow “spite houses,” making the city America’s spite house capital.
The oldest is at 205 King Street (built around 1812) and measures a relatively roomy 11 feet 9 inches wide. It currently houses a boutique called “She’s Unique” and is the only spite house in Alexandria that you can enter.
The spite house at 403 Prince Street was built before 1883 by Samuel Janney, who later gave it to his son Henry. A fourth spite house at 1401 Prince Street is the youngest (built in the 1890s) and the only single-story one at just over 8 feet wide.
All the Furniture Has to Be Custom-Made
Living in a 7-foot-wide house means standard furniture just won’t fit. The front door is only 32 inches wide, making it impossible to bring in regular-sized couches or beds.
Interior designer Matt Hannan, who renovated the house in the 1990s, had to source tiny furniture from specialized antique dealers focusing on small-scale pieces. The current sofa was actually built inside the house since it wouldn’t fit through any doorway.
A standard queen mattress (60 inches wide) would leave less than a foot of walking space on each side in the bedroom. The dining table is a custom drop-leaf design that expands for guests or folds against the wall when not being used.
You Can Hang This House on Your Christmas Tree
Since the 1990s, the Spite House has been immortalized as a Christmas tree ornament that’s become one of Alexandria’s best-selling souvenirs. Artist Rachael A. Peden hand-paints wooden versions measuring about 3.5 inches tall by 1.5 inches wide that sell for $20 at local shops.
Since their introduction in 1997, over 15,000 Spite House ornaments have been sold, making them Alexandria’s most popular architectural souvenir. Each ornament comes with a small card explaining the building’s unique history and is officially licensed by the current owner, who gets a small royalty from each sale.
Spite has never been so festive.
There’s a 19th-Century “Fire Insurance” Badge on the Front
The facade features a distinctive cast-iron fire shield – a 19th-century version of an insurance policy showing the original owner paid the local fire company for protection.
The building’s current HVAC system, installed in 2015, uses a specialized mini-split design that occupies just 4 square feet of attic space.
The exterior paint needs redoing every 3-4 years due to unusual weathering patterns caused by being sandwiched between taller buildings. The 7-foot-wide roof requires custom-cut shingles made specifically for this house.
There’s also a “dog finder” sign in the bottom right corner of the front window that reads “In case of fire, please rescue dog” – because even spite houses need pet safety.
Visiting the Spite House
Check out the famous blue house at 523 Queen Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Since it’s someone’s private home, you can only view it from the sidewalk.
Best times: Daylight hours any day (morning light gives the best photos)
Photo spot: Stand across the street with arms outstretched to show how narrow it is
Nearby: King Street shops and waterfront just a 5-minute walk away
For a related experience, visit the spite house at 205 King Street, which now houses a boutique you can actually enter.
The post The thin, tiny, and strange Spite House in Alexandria, Virginia appeared first on When In Your State.