Skinny House (Long Beach) facts for kids
The Skinny House is a very narrow, three-story home located at 708 Gladys Avenue in the Rose Park neighborhood of Long Beach, California. It is so thin that it has been recognized by both the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley's Believe It or Not as the skinniest house in the United States!
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Building the Skinny House
This unique yellow house was built in 1932. It sits on a small piece of land that is only 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and 50 feet (15 m) long.
A Challenge Accepted
The house was built by a man named Newton P. Rummonds. He received the land as payment for a $100 loan he had given someone a year earlier. Someone bet him that he couldn't build a house that people could actually live in on such a tiny lot. Newton Rummonds took on the challenge and proved them wrong! The house he built is 860-square-foot (80 m2), which is about the size of a small apartment.
History and Recognition
Over the years, the Skinny House has seen some interesting moments.
Keeping It Straight
In 1959, people noticed that the house had started to lean a little bit to the north. It had moved about 4 inches (100 mm) off its original position. Workers were able to straighten the house, making sure it stood tall and proud once again.
A City Landmark
Because of its unique history and design, the Skinny House was officially named a city landmark in Long Beach, California, in 1983. This means it's an important historical place that the city wants to protect and preserve.
A Lawyer's Office
From 1977 to 1981, a lawyer named William John Cox used the Skinny House as his law office. He was a "public interest lawyer," which means he often worked on legal cases that were important for the community and for fairness. One of the cases he worked on from this house involved defending the truth in a legal dispute.
