It’s fair to say that the Stephen King boom isn’t going away anytime soon, with Doctor Sleep, a new season of Castle Rock, and HBO’s The Outsider series just some of the adaptations coming our way in the next few months. King himself continues to be a prolific author, too, with The Institute currently on shelves and new novella collection If It Bleeds due out in 2020. Now, though, the legacy of King’s work will be celebrated via plans to convert his Maine home into a small museum and a retreat for writers.
The house, famous for the many photos of King outside its Gothic gates, has long been a tourist destination for fans in the Bangor, Maine area. As King and his wife Tabitha are often traveling or based in their Florida home and other Maine residence, the Bangor house is now rarely in use. The 19th century red mansion, which features creature-laden gates, was purchased by King in 1980, while the surrounding town of Bangor is reportedly an inspiration for Derry in It.
The 47 West Broadway house has won permission to be rezoned, with visitors to King’s archive on an appointment basis, and availability for a maximum of five writers to take it over as a retreat. So don’t be expecting an easily accessible museum, but rather a dedicated space for fans and aspiring or established authors. The Kings have long contributed to the local area, too, with the house being put to a more practical use after many years of fan photographs.
Of course, the next few years will see many new Stephen King adaptations, including a new take on The Tommyknockers and Salem’s Lot, as well as an updated miniseries of The Stand. You can also catch the new Creepshow anthology series on Shudder, with several other film and television projects on their way based on new and classic King stories, too.
