Stephen King, wife have plans for home

Stephen and Tabitha King are ready for the next chapter for their Victorian mansion that stands behind a wrought iron gate festooned with winged creatures and spiderwebs.

The authors want to transform the home where they raised their children in Bangor, Maine, into the location for Stephen King’s personal archives. A guest house they own next door would host writers in residence.

While the Kings consider Bangor to be their home, they are spending less time there in favor of another home in Maine and one in Florida, where they have more privacy, said Warren Silver, the Kings’ attorney who is speaking on behalf of the couple.

Under the proposal from the couple, the archives formerly held at the University of Maine, the Kings’ alma mater, would be moved along with the foundation’s offices to the home. Scholars and others could request to see the materials, which would be available by appointment.

The house next door, which the Kings bought in 2004, would provide housing for up to five writers in residence at a time.

The Kings already cleared the idea with neighbors, and the city planning board gave its nod Tuesday night, Silver said. The city council will have the final say later this month.

The fictional Maine town of Derry that appears in many of King’s tales, including “It,” is based on the author’s experiences in Bangor.