Boston’s Skinny House sells for $900,000

The legendarily slender house at 44 Hull Street in Boston’s North End has sold for $900,000.

It was asking $895,000 through Cabot & Co., suggesting that someone or something really wanted the 1,116-square-foot property, which is a mere 10.4 feet at its widest on the outside and just over 6 feet at its narrowest on the inside.

The so-called Skinny House—or Spite House (more on that later)—went on sale in early April and had a deal pending before the end of that month.

Why is the pile so slim? Legend has it that one of two brothers built it shortly after returning from Army service in the Civil War. Turned out the other brother had already built big on a plot of land the siblings had inherited.

So the returning veteran threw up 44 Hull on the plot's remaining sliver of space just to block the natural light, views, etc., of his brother’s bigger house. Hence 44 Hull’s other nickname, the Spite House.

Records of the dwelling appear starting in the 1870s, so there is something to the legend.

• Boston’s Skinny House lands buyer with $895,000 tag [Curbed Boston]