No, Derry, Maine is not a real town. It is the fictional setting of many Stephen King stories, most famously It, and King has described it as his portrayal of Bangor, the city where he lives. Fans can visit the real Bangor places that inspired it, and this guide shows you where to go.
Quick answer: Take a guided driving tour, walk downtown Bangor to see the public landmarks that inspired the novels, and view King’s Victorian house on West Broadway from the sidewalk only. Plan a half day, and expect most of it to be outdoors.
Is Derry, Maine a Real Place?
No. Derry is an invented town, though it is widely understood to be based on Bangor. King has said he wanted Bangor as a setting because it was a tougher, harder place, with a history of loggers and the Brady Gang shootout. That gritty history shaped Derry, the fictional Maine town that appears in so many of his books. There is a real Derry in New Hampshire, but it is not the town in the stories.
Bangor’s role in his writing, and his philanthropy in the city, are a big part of why fans visit.
Stephen King Books Set in Derry
Derry first appeared in the 1981 short story “The Bird and the Album,” and it turns up in or is mentioned in dozens of King’s works. The best-known books set there are:
- It (1986): the novel most tied to Derry, about a shape-shifting evil that haunts the town.
- Insomnia (1994)
- Dreamcatcher (2001)
- 11/22/63 (2011), in part
Derry on Screen
- It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019): the two films.
- It: Welcome to Derry: the HBO series, which premiered on HBO Max on October 26, 2025 and is set in 1962.
HBO renewed the series for a second season in August 2026, set in 1935. No premiere date has been announced.
Real Bangor Places Behind Derry
- Thomas Hill Standpipe: the historic water tower on a hill above the city, a Bangor landmark that fans connect with the standpipe in It.
- Paul Bunyan statue: the 31-foot statue on Main Street, another well-known landmark linked to the Derry scenes in It. See our Paul Bunyan statue guide.
- Kenduskeag Stream: the stream that runs through downtown Bangor and into the Penobscot River, and a setting in It.
Stephen King Tours in Bangor
SK Tours of Maine runs a narrated driving tour of Stephen King’s Bangor, lasting about two and a half hours or more. It covers his life, his writing and his books, and it also looks at some of the philanthropy by Stephen and Tabitha King. The company lists a season that runs from early April to the end of October, and it offers private tours for small groups. Rates and dates change, so check the site before you plan around them.
Stephen King’s House
King’s Victorian mansion on West Broadway, in the Whitney Park Historic District, is one of Bangor’s best-known sights. It is a private residence. Please view it from the public sidewalk, respect the property and the neighbors, and do not trespass or ask for directions to any private home. Our Stephen King House listing has more.
Plan Your Visit
Bangor is easy to reach and easy to walk downtown. See our guides to living in Bangor, and browse Bangor for restaurants, lodging and things to do. King attended the University of Maine in Orono, a short drive from Bangor, which makes a good add-on for fans. For more ideas, see what Maine is known for.
Stephen King and Bangor: Common Questions
Does Stephen King live in Bangor, Maine?
Bangor has been King’s home base for decades, but he does not appear to spend most of the year there. A 2019 Bangor Daily News report said Stephen and Tabitha King still stay at their West Broadway home sometimes but split most of their time between Lovell, Maine, and Sarasota, Florida. King’s own website says the couple spend winters in Florida and the rest of the year at homes in Bangor and Center Lovell. He does not publish his schedule, so treat his whereabouts as uncertain.
Did Stephen King grow up in Bangor?
No. King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947 and grew up partly in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Stratford, Connecticut. His family moved to Durham, Maine, when he was eleven. He graduated from Lisbon Falls High School in 1966 and earned an English degree from the University of Maine in Orono in 1970, and later made his home in the Bangor area.
Does Stephen King still own the house in Bangor?
As of that 2019 Bangor Daily News report, Stephen and Tabitha King owned the house at 47 West Broadway and the adjacent house at 39 West Broadway. They planned to convert both into a home for King’s archive, a writers’ retreat and offices for the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, and the archive would not be open to the public. We could not confirm how far that project has progressed. The house is private property, so view it from the public sidewalk only.
What Stephen King movies were filmed in Bangor, Maine?
The original Pet Sematary (1989) was filmed in and around Ellsworth and Bangor in late summer and fall 1988, according to the Bangor Daily News. The Creed family’s house was a real home in Hancock, and the pet cemetery set was built on a lot behind the Colonial Inn in Ellsworth. A 2010 roundup of King filming sites lists other Maine-shot adaptations: Creepshow 2 in Dexter, Graveyard Shift, which used the Bartlettyarns Mill in Harmony, and Thinner, Storm of the Century and The Langoliers, though it gives no towns for those three.
Looking for King’s other famous Maine town? See our Castle Rock, Maine guide.
Fictional Maine towns beyond King: see Cabot Cove, Maine, the setting of Murder, She Wrote.
Derry, Maine and Stephen King Bangor FAQ
Is Derry, Maine a real town?
No. Derry is fictional, but it is widely understood to be based on Bangor, which is why fans visit. There is a real Derry in New Hampshire, which is a different place.
Where is Derry, Maine?
Derry exists only in King’s stories, where it is placed near Bangor. The closest real place is Bangor itself, about 2 hours north of Portland.
Which Stephen King books are set in Derry?
The best known is It (1986). Derry also appears in Insomnia, Dreamcatcher and, in part, 11/22/63, and it is mentioned in many of his other stories.
What is It: Welcome to Derry?
It is an HBO series set in the town of Derry in 1962. It premiered on HBO Max on October 26, 2025, and has been renewed for a second season set in 1935.
Can you visit Stephen King’s house in Bangor?
You can see it from the public sidewalk on West Broadway. It is a private home, so please do not enter the property.
Is there a Stephen King tour in Bangor?
Yes. SK Tours of Maine runs a guided driving tour in season. Check its website for current dates and availability.
Want to know who else is from Maine? See our list of famous people from Maine.