Living in the Shadow of the Standpipe

[Robert Gray]

I don't usually post in the general section; most of my comments stay in the "written works" area but I can't really justify this one there without making an extreme stretch. Perhaps I'll post in both. As some of my friends here know, my wife and I have made the move to Maine, Bangor specifically. We live in Derry's "twinner," for those who know the term. Constant Readers will delight, I know this being one myself, in the fact that so many places (and sometimes people) from the fictional world exist in our own.

My walk this morning, and I am getting a late start due to Daylight Savings Time stealing an hour, takes me past countless locations from the book It, by Stephen King. Here is my own personal walking tour of the day:

47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 to 47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 - Google Maps

I pass the canal downtown several times, go alongside the Barrens where Ben went tumbling down, tip my hat to the Paul Bunyan statue, go up the hill where the Standpiple looks down on the rest of Derry... I mean Bangor. And what walking tour would be complete without a pass by the Taleslinger's house? There are countless other spots on the route I'm not mentioning. Which of you can name them? I suspect there will be some Constant Readers out there who are jealous. Eat your hearts out, unless of course the clown eats mine.

 

[muskrat]

That's pretty awesome, and a lil bit creepy.

 

[Spideyman]

That is some morning walk. So happy for you. Enjoy Derry's "twinner".

 

[nate_watkins]

Did you go down by the railroad tracks, which would have Bev's old neighborhood?

 

[Neesy]

I don't usually post in the general section; most of my comments stay in the "written works" area but I can't really justify this one there without making an extreme stretch. Perhaps I'll post in both. As some of my friends here know, my wife and I have made the move to Maine, Bangor specifically. We live in Derry's "twinner," for those who know the term. Constant Readers will delight, I know this being one myself, in the fact that so many places (and sometimes people) from the fictional world exist in our own.

My walk this morning, and I am getting a late start due to Daylight Savings Time stealing an hour, takes me past countless locations from the book It, by Stephen King. Here is my own personal walking tour of the day:

47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 to 47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 - Google Maps

I pass the canal downtown several times, go alongside the Barrens where Ben went tumbling down, tip my hat to the Paul Bunyan statue, go up the hill where the Standpiple looks down on the rest of Derry... I mean Bangor. And what walking tour would be complete without a pass by the Taleslinger's house? There are countless other spots on the route I'm not mentioning. Which of you can name them? I suspect there will be some Constant Readers out there who are jealous. Eat your hearts out, unless of course the clown eats mine.

Nice to see you here again - before you know it you'll be talking like a local

 

[Vincent_Madison]

I am looking forward to spending two weeks in Derry this May with my daughter. It's a kind of SK research trip of sorts, both as I have been a Constant Reader forever and because I am basing my HO Model Railway on King's Derry.

 

[Machine's Way]

Looks like a nice little walk, I bet it is beautiful in the fall.

 

[misery chastain loves co.]

I don't usually post in the general section; most of my comments stay in the "written works" area but I can't really justify this one there without making an extreme stretch. Perhaps I'll post in both. As some of my friends here know, my wife and I have made the move to Maine, Bangor specifically. We live in Derry's "twinner," for those who know the term. Constant Readers will delight, I know this being one myself, in the fact that so many places (and sometimes people) from the fictional world exist in our own.

My walk this morning, and I am getting a late start due to Daylight Savings Time stealing an hour, takes me past countless locations from the book It, by Stephen King. Here is my own personal walking tour of the day:

47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 to 47 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401 - Google Maps

I pass the canal downtown several times, go alongside the Barrens where Ben went tumbling down, tip my hat to the Paul Bunyan statue, go up the hill where the Standpiple looks down on the rest of Derry... I mean Bangor. And what walking tour would be complete without a pass by the Taleslinger's house? There are countless other spots on the route I'm not mentioning. Which of you can name them? I suspect there will be some Constant Readers out there who are jealous. Eat your hearts out, unless of course the clown eats mine.

I live in Brewer and every morning on my way to work I get a great skyline view of the standpipe when I cross the bridge into "Derry". The sight of it never gets old. Welcome to Maine!

 

[Walter Oobleck]

I think I'm missing out. I think it is possible to take that walk and see things? I tried when it was posted. Some things aren't as easy for some as they are for others. Anyone have any hints on how to navigate? Maybe it's real simple and I'm just not getting it.

 

[mjs9153]

Don't listen to your bathroom drains when you are alone,Robert..

 

[Robert Gray]

I think I'm missing out. I think it is possible to take that walk and see things? I tried when it was posted. Some things aren't as easy for some as they are for others. Anyone have any hints on how to navigate? Maybe it's real simple and I'm just not getting it.

I'm not sure I follow you?

 

[GNTLGNT]

I'm not sure I follow you?

...he may be referring to some type of on-line virtual tour...

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Yeah...I've seen/visited maps similar to this one. A few of the circles, when you put the cursor on them, you get a picture of the area. On map I visited...was a map of my hometown in fact, you were placed virtually on that spot and you could turn around and "see" things. And yeah, it was kinda spooky...the images generated when a revamp of the street was in progress...the "spooky" part coming into play because you could "move" slightly and it was like the camera was there looking 360-degrees at everything, every little rock and blade of grass. But maybe that is not possible here. One time, when I put the cursor on the lower right, near the point where the route crosses the river in two places, that leg of the journey disappeared. A few places you get an image. Must not be possible to "see" everything?

 

[Neesy]

...he may be referring to some type of on-line virtual tour...

Yeah...I've seen/visited maps similar to this one. A few of the circles, when you put the cursor on them, you get a picture of the area. On map I visited...was a map of my hometown in fact, you were placed virtually on that spot and you could turn around and "see" things. And yeah, it was kinda spooky...the images generated when a revamp of the street was in progress...the "spooky" part coming into play because you could "move" slightly and it was like the camera was there looking 360-degrees at everything, every little rock and blade of grass. But maybe that is not possible here. One time, when I put the cursor on the lower right, near the point where the route crosses the river in two places, that leg of the journey disappeared. A few places you get an image. Must not be possible to "see" everything?

Yes - it's in Google maps (I think) - you type in an address and then you can go there to the Google Street View and move around.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Yeah...I've seen/visited maps similar to this one. A few of the circles, when you put the cursor on them, you get a picture of the area. On map I visited...was a map of my hometown in fact, you were placed virtually on that spot and you could turn around and "see" things. And yeah, it was kinda spooky...the images generated when a revamp of the street was in progress...the "spooky" part coming into play because you could "move" slightly and it was like the camera was there looking 360-degrees at everything, every little rock and blade of grass. But maybe that is not possible here. One time, when I put the cursor on the lower right, near the point where the route crosses the river in two places, that leg of the journey disappeared. A few places you get an image. Must not be possible to "see" everything?

...you enter our home address and get a lovely view of my home and the Jeep parked out front....it's a bit disconcerting....

 

[Vincent_Madison]

I have started to document my trip to explore King's Maine - we spent two weeks exploring the places that inspired the stories. You can check it out here: Stephen King’s Maine – The real places that inspired the stories…