There’s no doubt that Stephen King put Bangor, Maine on the map.
The small New England town is inextricably associated with the famous writer, and his red Victorian mansion is its beating heart.
People from all across the country, sometimes even from across the ocean, flock to this otherwise unassuming town, to get a glimpse into the author’s life and his home on West Broadway.
Although sightings of King outside his house were notoriously rare, his presence is definitely felt here. From the moment you drive into Bangor, you feel like you’ve been transported in one of King’s novels, and it’s easy to see why.
It’s no secret that Maine was a source of inspiration for King, who was born and raised in Portland, and many of his novels are set in the Pine Tree State.
King wrote Salem’s Lot while living in the blood-red mansion at 47 West Broadway, while the fictional town of Derry, where the eponymous novel It takes place, was inspired by Bangor.
So it’s no wonder that fans from all over the world are drawn to this secluded tiny town; they want to immerse themselves into that atmosphere that they found in the books, and see the places that inspired King to write some of his most beloved books.
If you’re a Stephen King fan, you’ll feel right at home in Bangor
Entering the mysterious town of Bangor, you’ll notice that pretty much all the houses here look kinda creepy, particularly those on West Broadway.
The street that King lives on looks like the perfect setting for a haunted house movie or one of those Halloween-style slasher sagas.
With the exception of small groups of avid King fans, the streets are usually empty, and it sometimes feels like the whole area is abandoned, especially on a gloomy fall or winter day.
Pulling up on West Broadway, rows of majestic, imposing manors greet you, as if leading you to the main attraction, the pulsating red heart of Bangor.
All the mansions on West Broadway, including King’s, are easily accessible and close to the main street, which is wide and protected by tall, lush trees.
Yet there’s no mistaking which house is Stephen King’s; its bloody color and wrought-iron fence give it away.
Endless rows of fans have taken pictures of themselves in front of the black wrought iron fence which is decorated with spiders, a three-headed dragon, and other bat-winged creatures.
The author reportedly regrets putting up that creepy fence, since it’s become such a popular tourist attraction over the years.
However, once in a while he likes to entertain his near-trespassers; in 2017, just before the release of the new It movie, a red balloon popped up in one of the windows of the house. If you read or watched It, you’ll know why that’s creepy.
The history of the blood-red manor and how it became home to one of the greatest writers alive
The now-iconic manor on West Broadway was originally built in 1858, and has been owned by King and his wife Tabitha since 1980.
The Kings and their three children moved to Bangor after living in Boulder, Colorado for a year, where King wrote The Shining (inspired by the real-life Stanley Hotel).
It was initially meant to be a second house for the family, but it eventually became their primary residence.
Stephen King shared with the Bangor Historical Society in 1983 what drove the family to move here:
West Broadway attracted us, with its graceful Victorian homes, its lovely trees, and its feeling of being a peaceful sort of inlet very close to the bustle of downtown.’
Stephen King
The author went on to say that the proximity to Fairmount school, a school that their children could walk to, was another big pull.
It seems to have worked out just fine for them, and we’re betting that their beloved corgi Molly — also known as the Thing of Evil — has made the most out of all that outdoor space.
The King manor lies on roughly 2 acres of land and was built in an Italianate Villa style. Hayford Park is right in the family’s backyard, while the property is surrounded by lush trees, offering plenty of privacy.
The original structure was made out of wood and only had one tower; the left-side tower was reportedly added in 1895, while the large front porch was added in 1912.
The property nowadays also incorporates an attached barn with an indoor swimming pool, a three-car garage, and King’s former writing studio at the rear of the house.
Now, the Kings like their privacy, so there aren’t any pictures or details about what the inside of the house looks like, which obviously makes it even more fascinating and appealing to fans.
How much does Stephen King’s house cost?
The interior of the house features 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms and a total of 4,952 square feet, according to Zillow — who places the home’s current value around the $1.7 million mark (but the real estate portal is known for widely exaggerating the price of properties).
Another real estate website, Redfin estimates it’s worth around $1,400,000 which seems a bit more realistic, but still quite hefty for an area where the median home price hovers around a modest $300,000.
Now, either way, if King were to sell it to another homeowner, he’d be making quite the profit. The writer only paid $135,000 for the home in 1980.
But chances are very slim that the iconic house will be getting any new residents, as it’s now been rezoned and will be serving a whole new role.
No longer the author’s personal residence, the house is now an archive for scholars
Back in 2018, Stephen King announced that he’s moving out and plans to turn his long-time house in Bangor into an archive for his most iconic work, with the home next door also being turned into a writer’s retreat.
The prolific author’s home in Bangor, Maine has been rezoned as a non-profit which will house the writer’s archives, formerly held at the University of Maine; it’s now accessed by appointment only.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you can go visit it. King made it clear that the house won’t be opening to the public, but that the archives will be available to scholars and researchers.
The reason behind these changes is the fact that the Kings didn’t really spend as much time as they used to in their house at 47 West Broadway.
The Bangor City Council gave them the green light to rezone their home as a non-profit in 2019.
Now, if you’re a die-hard Stephen King fan, like myself, and you get the chance to visit central Maine, it’s worth taking a day trip to Bangor and getting a feel of what it’s like to live in one of his novels — even if you can’t actually visit the house or stay at the writer’s retreat (which only accommodates up to 5 writers at a time).
If you want to make the best of your visit and make sure that you’ve checked all the main sights, then you’ll definitely want to book a tour of ‘Stephen King’s Derry,’ organized by SK Tours.
If you don’t have time for that, enter ‘47 West Broadway’ in your GPS and it’ll take you right to the center of the Stephen King universe. Be sure to take lots of pictures, and be on the lookout for red balloons or evil corgis.
Need help finding a hotel close to Stephen King’s house? Here’s a handy map with all of your rental and hotel room options in Bangor, all within walking distance to the author’s house:
Stephen King’s house in photos
If a trip to Maine isn’t on your roadmap, we thought we’d help out.
Since seeing it in person is a bucket list wish for many, but few have the opportunity to get up close, we thought we’d pull together all the photos of Stephen King’s house in Bangor, Maine — to give you a better view of the author’s unique residence.
From the black wrought iron fence adorned with spiders, three-headed dragons, and other bat-winged creatures to the eye-catching red exterior of the Victorian-style mansion, here’s a closer look at Stephen King’s house, in photos:
More stories
The Magical House in Locke & Key, Inspired by Stephen King’s Eccentric Home
Zooming In on the Stanley Hotel, Stephen King’s Inspiration for ‘The Shining’
The Haunting of Thornewood Castle – Where Stephen King Filmed the Rose Red Miniseries
