There’s something captivating about cheering for the underdog, isn’t there? We are drawn to individuals who refuse to be pushed around, who stand up for their rights against powerful entities like corporations and governments.
These compelling stories are often referred to as ‘nail houses’ or ‘holdouts,’ and they have become media sensations, especially in countries like China. Homeowners who stand up against the perceived bullying by those in authority receive widespread support and admiration. These tales resonate with people who have seen movies like ‘Up’ or the Australian classic ‘The Castle,’ as they showcase the triumph of the human spirit against adversity.
Below, we present some astonishing examples of such cases. Take a moment to marvel at the courage of these individuals and vote for your favorite! (H/T: Bored Panda)
01. Edith Macefield Refused To Sell Her Home Even After Being Offered More Than 1 Million Dollars For It. She Later Became The Inspiration For The Movie “Up”
02. Mary Cook Had Refused To Sell Her Narrow, Handsome Home While All The Neighboring Homes Were Demolished. Today The House Sits Tightly Squeezed Between Its Giant Neighbors, Looking Much Like An Illustration From A Children’s Story Book
wirednewyork
03. Vera Coking First Refused To Sell Her House To Bob Guccione, Who Wanted To Build His Casino Around It. Later She Refused To Sell To Donald Trump
Press of Atlantic City
04. An Owner That Refused To Sell His House In Melbourne, Australia
EddieAteDynamite
05. One Resident Of A Toronto Duplex Refused To Sell, So They Cut It In Half
The Huffington Post
06. This Slender Gothic-Inspired Townhouse, Flanked By Massive Prewar Apartment Buildings Up And Down The Block
Ephemeral New York
07. China’s Government Paved A Highway Around These Stubborn Homeowners. The Residents Eventually Moved Out But The House Had Become A Symbol Of Resistance Against Developers
news.nationalpost.com
08. Randal Acker Refused To Sell His Small Queen Anne Victorian Home In Downtown Portland, So They Built A Huge Portland State University Residence Hall Around It
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09. In Guangzhou, The Authorities Have Had To Build A Ring Road Around This Block Of Flats Because Three Families Would Not Budge
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10. The House Of Austin Spriggs, Washington D.c. The Owner Was Offered $3 Million, Said No, And Later Sold It For $4 Million
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11. Although His Is The Only Standing Building In What Used To Be An Old Neighborhood Of Roubaix, In Northern France, Salah Oudjani Refuses To Sell The Coffee House He Has Worked In For The Last 46 Years
12. Now A Church, This Queen Anne House Prevented Yet Another Apartment Building From Being Constructed
ephemeralnewyork
13. A Lone Resident Holds Out Against Luxury Villas In Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, In July 2013
HAP / Quirky China News / REX
14. Developers Were Forced Into Building Around These Holdouts In Washington DC
Forgotten New York
15. Living Under A Bridge
Dom Dada
16. The Founders Of This Hotel Couldn’t Buy These Houses Due To The High Asking Price. So The Hotel Was Built Around The Two Buildings Instead, And They Are Now Souvenir Shops
Roeland Koning
17. One Chinese Family Refused To Move Their Relatives Ancient Graves. The Small, Bizarre Column Stood 10 Meters Above The Foundation Floor For Months, Until They Finally Accepted Compensation
AFP
18. Farmers Live Stuck In Between Three Highways. Hundreds Of Households Were Relocated But The Government Wasn’t Able To Reach A Consensus With This Family
news.sina.com
19. Mrs Wu Ping Was The Only Person From 241 Properties Who Refused To Leave. She Battled With Contractors And Bids For Almost 3 Years Before Caving In April Of 2007 For Quite A Pretty Penny
venture160
20. This Saloon Refused To Sell Their Property To An Apartment Company And Now The Apartment Has To Build Around Them
AllCarsEatGas
21. This “Nail House” Is Blocking Traffic In Shanghai
22. The Spiegelhalter Family Refused To Sell Their Shop To The Expanding Wickhams Department Store
Reading Tom
23. The Entire Rockefeller Plaza Complex Was Moved, Due To These Two Buildings Whose Owners Refused To Sell
ScoutingNY
24. The Tenant Of This Apartment Building In Kunming, China, Has To Cross A Moat After The Contractors Dug A Ditch To Force The Last Family Out.
25. A Nail House Sits In The Middle Of A Road Under Construction In Nanning, China, In April 2015. The Owner Of The House Didn’t Reach An Agreement With The Local Authority About Compensation For The Demolition
China Stringer Network / Reuters
26. Residents Of The Guangfuli Area Of Shanghai Have Collectively Decided Not To Leave Their Homes, Creating An Entire “Nail Neighborhood.” Tao Weiren Sits In Front Of His Two-Story House, Which Is Now Surrounded By High-End Condominium Buildings
Aly Song / Reuters
27. Zheng Meiju Outside Her Nail House In Rui’an, Zhejiang Province, In July 2013. She Has Been Living In The Partially Demolished Home For Nearly A Year, Even Though The Water And Electricity Supply Were Cut
China Stringer Network / Reuters
28. The Farm In The Middle Of Narita Airport. Farmers Are Refusing To Give Up Their Land In The Middle Of This Airport In Japan. The Runway Is Only Half Usable Because Of Their Refusal To Relocate. They Are Currently A Literal Stones Throw Away From The Flight Path And Must Be Living An Earth Shaking Experience.
Google Maps
29. Hard-Line Developers In China Diverted A River To Encircle Householders Who Refused To Move From Their 900-Year-Old Village
Imaginechina/ Rex Features
30. The ‘Million Dollar Corner’ That Macy’s Had To Build Around, And Then Hide Behind A Billboard
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31. The Last House In This Area Stands In Front Of A Shopping Mall In Central China’s Hunan Province
Stringer Shanghai / Reuters
32. The Last House Of An Old Neighborhood Stands Alone In A Future Shanghai World Expo 2010 Parking Lot, Under Nanpu Bridge On April 6, 2010, In Shanghai, China. The Holdout Owner Of The House Was Shi Yuji. The House Was Destroyed Days Later, And The Owner Moved Into A Workers’ Dormitory
Lucas Schifres / Getty
33. This “Nail House” House Sits On A Mound Above Ground Level Because The Developer Dug Out The Land Around It
China Stringer Network / Reuters
34. Nail Houses Whose Owners Refused To Relocate, At The Construction Field In Taiyuan, Shanxi Province Of China
VCG
35. A New Motorway In China Has Been Cut In Two After A Homeowner Refused To Sell Their House To Developers. The Homeowner Has Been Considering Whether To Move Or Not For Years Now
