The "Spite House" on N. Prospect (c. 1880) by yooperprof
A "spite house" is a widely recognized architectural term for a residential structure which was built for the primary purpose of antagonizing someone. Generally, Property Owner A builds a "spite house" to "get back" at Property Owner B.The peculiar building at 1223 N. Prospect is a prime example of a 19th century spite house. Jason Downer (1813-1883) was a prominent Milwaukee attorney who served for many years as a Justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Justice Downer was the owner of a beautiful and impressive mansion on Prospect - still standing next door at 1201. But he seems to have taken an intense disliking to his neighbors, and around 1880 arranged for the construction of a large house right on his property line - a house which did a marvelous job of blocking his neighbor's view of Lake Michigan. Score one for the Judge!
Ironically, the "Spite House" is now used primarily for law offices!