Stephen King's Iconic Maine Home Will Become A Writer's Retreat

Stephen King's Iconic Maine Home Will Become A Writer's Retreat

For fans of the Master of Horror, a pilgrimage to Bangor, Maine is a right of passage. Constant readers visit the standpipe, and snap photos by the canal, Paul Bunyan statue, and storm drains which helped inspire the beloved fictional town of Derry made famous in Stephen King's IT.

Soon, some of these devotees will get the chance to visit - or even stay at - King's famous Bangor mansion.

Stephen and fellow writer Tabitha King successfully petitioned the Bangor City Council to rezone the now-vacant home as a non-profit. It will soon house an archive of King's work which can be viewed by appointment, and serve as a retreat for up to five aspiring writers. 

Last week, King shared the following Facebook update about the project:

“We are in the very beginning of planning the writers’ retreat at the house next door, providing housing for up to five writers in residence at a time,” he wrote. “The zoning change getting press coverage was the first step. We are one to two years away from an operating retreat. The archives formerly held at the University of Maine will be accessible for restricted visits by appointment only. There will not be a museum and nothing will be open to the public, but the archives will be available to researchers and scholt.”

The famous King home is located at 47 West Broadway, a quiet residential area the family hopes to preserve for the sake of their neighbors. While fans often visit and take photos in front of the black iron gate with its Gothic gargoyles, most are quiet and respectful. The Kings, as well as the residents of Bangor, hope to keep it this way.

Have you ever visited Bangor? Will you be in line to sneak a peak inside the blood-red mansion when it opens to the public?

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