Spite Houses

Feb 24, 2025

Discover the quirky world of spite houses, built to settle scores and express grievances. Uncover the story of the Macabre Spite House, where family rivalry fueled extravagant construction. Dive into the tragic tale of Charles Froehling’s spite house, shaped by land disputes and entwined with a neighbor’s poignant history. Explore how unique buildings like those created by Dr. John Tyler and John Hollinsbury serve as fascinating reflections of social dynamics. Learn how creativity and conflict collide in these extraordinary structures.

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ANECDOTE

The Macabre Spite House

Thomas McCobb built a grand house next to his family home after being denied his inheritance.
This act, possibly out of spite towards his stepmother, resulted in the Macabre Spite House.

ANECDOTE

Relocation and Renovation

The Macabre Spite House was later moved 85 miles by barge to Rockport, Maine.
The house was expanded with two wings, and elaborate gardens were designed around it.

ANECDOTE

The Alameda Spite House

Charles Froling built a narrow, 20-foot-high house on a small lot in Alameda, California.
The most likely story is that he built what he could afford on the oddly shaped lot he could afford, not out of spite.

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A spite house is a structure that is built by one party to irritate another, or to cause some sort of difficulty or even damage. And there have been a lot of them built over the years, though there aren’t a huge number remaining.

Research:

Bailey, Steve. “A Tiny, Beloved Home That Was Built for Spite.” New York Times. Feb. 29, 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/travel/escapes/29away.html
“Charles A. Froling, Local Contractor, Passes Away.” Alameda Times Star. June 2, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1097386049/?match=1&terms=%22Charles%20Froling%22
Deschenes, Steven. “Spite House in Rockport Maine: Garden Papers and Correspondence.” Maine Historical Society. April 5, 2018. https://mainehistory.wordpress.com/2018/04/05/spite-house-in-rockport-maine-garden-papers-and-correspondence/
“Detailed Property Description: 523 QUEEN ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA.” City of Alexandria Virginia. https://realestate.alexandriava.gov/detail.php?accountno=12113500
“Died.” Alameda Times Star. June 2, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1097386249/?article=4c7443f8-0d33-4599-ad46-da94afa4e09b&terms=%22Froling%22&match=1
“Famed ‘Spite House’ at Phippsburg Will be Moved Intact to Rockport, an Eighty-five Mile Journey by Water.” Portland Press Herald. June 19, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/847107454/?terms=%22Donald%20Dodge%22
“Freak House May Have Been One of the Causes of Woman Taking Her Life.” Oakland Tribune. Nov. 12, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/76448900/?match=1&terms=%22Charles%20Froling%22
“From 1774 to Today.” 1774 Inn. https://www.1774inn.com/our-history
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Kelly, Richard D. (on behalf of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission). "NRHP nomination for Spite House." Prepared October 1974, accepted Aug. 13, 1974. National Park Service. https://npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/74000175.pdf
Kilduff, Paul. “Alameda Spite House likely built in ill will but ‘a little jewel box’ today.” East Bay Times. July 24, 2024. https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/07/23/alameda-spite-house-likely-built-in-ill-will-but-a-little-jewel-box-today/
Leffler, Christopher T et al. “The first cataract surgeons in Anglo-America.” Survey of ophthalmology 60,1 (2015): 86-92. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2014.08.002
Neal, Jill Hudson. “Narrow Thinking.” Washington Post. April 22, 2006. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/2006/04/23/narrow-thinking/96441f95-b38b-412c-b6c6-a5abf0200f55/
Nelson, George. “Two Narrow Houses Have All Comforts.” Oakland Tribune. June 30, 1957. https://www.newspapers.com/image/296868118/?match=1&terms=Gilbert%20froling
Roth, Maggie. “Alexandria’s Spite House is Small, But It Has a Big History.” Northern Virginia Magazine. Jan. 2, 2024. https://northernvirginiamag.com/culture/culture-features/2024/01/02/alexandria-spite-house-is-small-but-it-has-a-big-history/
Schulte, Brigid. “A Narrow-minded Pursuit.” Washington Post. Jan. 23, 2005. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2005/01/24/a-narrow-minded-pursuit/d346f89e-8e1a-4e66-8cd1-653ff05b59af/
Senk, Julie. “James McCobb House.” Down East. https://downeast.com/home-and-garden/james-mccobb-house/
“Spite House.” Cultural Landscape Foundation. https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/spite-house
Williams, Lynn. “This Maryland House Was Built Just for Spite.” Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1990. https://www.newspapers.com/image/176103952/?terms=%22This%20Maryland%20House%20Was%20Built%20Just%20for%20Spite%22
Waters, Ed Jr. “Historic Tyler Spite House on market.” The Frederick News-Post. June 20, 2006. https://www.fredericknewspost.com/archives/video-historic-tyler-spite-house-on-market/article_8c43e490-cd98-58c0-9964-554e2a67fc0e.html

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