In 1980, Stephen King bought a red Victorian home in Maine for $135,000; 46 years later, the house holds his literary archives while a neighbouring mansion offers writers 10-day residencies and $2,500 stipends

Forty-six years after Stephen King bought a red Victorian mansion in Bangor, Maine, for $135,000, the famous property has officially become a centre for literary research and a place where working writers can focus on their work. The dark red Second Empire house at 47 West Broadway is well known for its unusual wrought-iron gate decorated with bats and webbed gargoyles. It now holds King’s large collection of literary archives. Next door, the historic Brown Mansion operates as a fully funded writers’ retreat. Selected writers can stay for 10 days and receive a $2,500 stipend. According to official information published by The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, the non-profit organisation founded by the bestselling author and his wife, the two projects give selected writers dedicated time to write, comfortable accommodation, and financial support. They also help preserve the historic neighbourhood.

Historic home transformed for literary preservation

King and his wife, Tabitha, bought the house, which was built in 1858, in 1980 for $135,000. For more than four decades, the former home of a wealthy timber businessman served as the couple’s main family residence. It also provided creative inspiration for the fictional town of Derry, Maine, which appears in novels such as It and Insomnia. In late 2019, the Bangor City Council unanimously approved the Kings’ request to change the zoning of their 3.27-acre property. The land was changed from a single-family residential zone to a contract zone. This allowed the couple to turn their home into a non-profit archive centre and officially establish the neighbouring guest house as a writers’ retreat. Under the city-approved plan, King’s private papers, original manuscripts, and personal literary materials are kept inside the main red mansion. The archives are not open to the general public as a tourist attraction or museum. However, scholars, researchers, and literary experts can visit by making an appointment.

Structured residencies with financial support

The nearby Second Empire building at 39 West Broadway, known as the Brown Mansion, is home to the foundation’s writers’ residency programme. The foundation offers 10-day stays that give small groups of writers a quiet place to work and a chance to connect with the local community. Writers staying at the mansion receive private bedrooms and bathrooms, shared living areas, a fully stocked kitchen, and group dinners every evening. To make sure that money does not prevent writers from taking part, the foundation gives each participant a $2,500 payment. This can be used for travel costs or other personal expenses.According to the application guidelines on the foundation’s official website, the retreat focuses on different groups of writers each year:Recent MFA graduates: This category is open to writers who completed a graduate degree in creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, playwriting, or screenwriting within the previous three years.K-12 educators: This category is open to full-time primary and secondary school teachers. Retired teachers with at least eight years of classroom experience can also apply.Maine writers: This category is for people who currently live in Maine or grew up in the state. Applicants must have a record of published books or contributions to literary journals.Applications are judged based on the quality of the writing samples and the proposed work plans. The selection process is anonymous, meaning reviewers do not know the applicants’ identities.

Preserving neighbourhood character while supporting artists

The decision to turn the private home into an archive centre and writers’ retreat was intended to protect the historic property for the future while preventing large numbers of tourists from visiting the residential area. During the original zoning approval process, city officials and lawyers representing the Kings stressed that the retreat would operate quietly and respect the people living nearby. Speaking to The Bangor Daily News, planning officials explained that the non-profit arrangement would help protect an important city landmark while preserving the peaceful character of West Broadway. By bringing King’s personal literary archives together with fully funded writers’ stays next door, The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation has kept the historic property closely connected to the art of storytelling.