Such Spite in Such a Beautiful Place
Mystic section of Groton
June 14, 2016
If you happened to have come to this page from a link on Connecticut’s other, more colorful, spite house, I must warn you: this one isn’t nearly as exciting.
Mystic’s spite house. Note how its flush with the street and the other house is set back.
In fact, it’s for sale today (June 2016) for $1.35 million dollars. And while I doubt much of my readership is in the market for million dollar homes, just think – if you act fast, you can go tour one of Connecticut’s two remaining spite houses!
The view – though not the one this house blocks from 9 and 11 Gravel Street
Side note: who in the world wants to pay that much money to live on Gravel Street in Mystic? A place where you literally can’t go anywhere from June through October due to tourists? You’d have to be nuts.
And wealthy.
And besides, the interior looks pretty outdated. Just not for me.
Ugh with this kitchen
Located at 13 Gravel Street, this 1826 house is a large Cape Cod with Greek Revival accents. It is thought to have beeen built by one John Fellows, who, according to the Mystic River Historic Society, “Must’ve been the spiteful one.”
No house stands behind 13 Gravel Street, so I turn to another pdf which states that it was built in spite to block the river view from 9 and 11 Gravel Street. (See first picture, though this only blocks views north, upriver.)
Gravel Street was known as Captain’s Row back in the day and was exactly that. A bunch of stately homes built by/for wealthy seaman. Each house here had seafaring inhabitants at one time, and it’s a very pretty road to walk (as long as you don’t get run over.)
Mystic’s famous bascule bridge can be seen from the spite house’s front porch as well, which would provide me years of joy. I love that thing.
So there you have it! Mystic’s spite house.
And now it can be yours.
Side view
Houses, Communities, Libraries & Businesses
Wikipedia on Spite Houses.
Kim D says
June 16, 2016 at 10:16 amI was unfamiliar with the term Spite House. Thanks for the Thursday enlightenment.
Definitely not in the market for a million dollars’ worth of realty,even with the animosity potential thrown in!
Arnaud Bourgeois says
April 5, 2021 at 9:36 amHello,
Just bought it lol!!!!!
I was wondering where is the second spite house that you mentioned??
Arnaud Bourgeois says
April 5, 2021 at 9:44 amOh I click on the link and found it!! Thanks
I think that at the time the important view was not the river but the Mystic port where they were building boats.
And the spite house is blocking the view for #9 and #11.
The captains couldn’t check on new arrival or departure by checking out the masts from there house.
My 2 cents…
Lord Humongous The Toe Cutter says
October 11, 2022 at 1:00 amOnly here would a shack which shakes with the rumble of passing traffic go for such a retarded amount.
I hate this state as much as it hates me. I’m still hoping to find some of the famed “CT hates you” stickers but no luck as of yet.