Stephen King Home Becomes Literary Archive Center
The Bangor, Maine, residence that the author bought in 1980 now houses his papers and manuscripts, with a neighboring mansion serving as a writers' retreat.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Interior Decorating
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Stephen and Tabitha King converted their 47 West Broadway home in Bangor, Maine, into a literary archive center, after the city council unanimously approved a zoning change in late 2019. The neighboring Brown Mansion at 39 West Broadway operates as a writers' residency program.
Why it matters
The non-profit arrangement was intended to protect the historic property while limiting the number of visitors to the residential neighborhood. For Bangor readers, it preserves a notable local landmark while keeping the street primarily residential.
The 3.27-acre property at 47 West Broadway was rezoned from single-family residential to contract zone, a change Bangor City Council approved unanimously in late 2019. The house, built in 1858, was bought by the Kings in 1980 for $135,000.
The players
Stephen King
Stephen King is a prolific American author whose novels and stories have been adapted widely across film and television, and whose papers are now housed at the Bangor property.
Tabitha King
Tabitha King is an American novelist and writer, and the wife of Stephen King, who co-owned the Bangor home that became the archive center.
Bangor City Council
The Bangor City Council is the municipal legislative body of Bangor, Maine, which unanimously approved the rezoning of the King property in late 2019.
The details
King's private papers and original manuscripts are kept inside the main mansion, and scholars and researchers may visit by appointment rather than as a public museum. Selection for the Brown Mansion residencies is anonymous, based on writing samples and proposed work plans, and each participant receives a $2,500 stipend for a 10-day stay.
Timeline
1858: The house at 47 West Broadway is built.
1980: Stephen and Tabitha King purchase the home for $135,000.
Late 2019: Bangor City Council unanimously approves the zoning change.
Historic Preservation Landmark
The conversion of the King home extends the 1980 purchase of the 1858 house into a formal literary archive, a pattern similar to author-owned properties preserved as cultural sites in Maine. The contract-zone designation illustrates how Bangor has used zoning tools to protect historic residential property.
Bangor residents near West Broadway will see the King property operate as an appointment-based archive rather than a public museum, keeping traffic lower than a tourist attraction would. Writers interested in the Brown Mansion residency can apply based on writing samples and proposed work plans.
The takeaway
Historic residential properties can be preserved for public cultural use through zoning tools like contract zones while limiting disruption to surrounding neighborhoods. Readers interested in historic home design can find related coverage in the Interior Decorating section.
Further reading
Explore more Interior Decorating stories covering historic home design and preservation in Bangor.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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