The town of East Egg was inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s time staying in Great Neck, NY. There is a common misconception that F. Scott Fitzgerald was inspired by the home of Herbert Bayard Swope, titled Land’s End, while he was a guest at the mansion. Some historians say this home could have served as inspiration for the Buchanans’ mansion in the novel. The problem with this account is that Fitzgerald left Great Neck for Paris in 1924, which is prior to Swope’s ownership of the mansion. So not only is there no evidence that Fitzgerald ever visited this mansion, but the way it is described in the novel doesn’t match the appearance of this mansion which was bulldozed in 2011.

The East and West Egg in Fitzgerald’s novel represent Cow Neck and Great Neck respectively, two peninsulas near Nassau County which border Manhasset Bay. Daisy’s residence in the novel is meant to be located at Sands Point East Egg, which is a village at the end of Cow Neck.

Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, moved to Great Neck in the fall of 1922. Although the less fashionable of the two municipalities, it was still a hub of high society. During his time there, Fitzgerald would write by day and party by night with society elites and celebrities. Not only did the town, extravagant parties, and stunning homes serve as inspiration for The Great Gatsby, but he actually completed three chapters of the book during his time there.

Due to the fact that too much of his income was being spent on partying, however, he and his wife decided to move to the French Riviera in 1924. In France, Fitzgerald wrote the remaining chapters of The Great Gatsby in roughly six months.

When it comes to which of the many elegant mansions served as the inspiration for Gatsby’s, it is likely a few different mansions provided the inspiration and many historians have differing opinions on which house it is. One such house was the one that Fitzgerald’s friend, Herbert Swope, actually owned at the time. Fitzgerald’s best friend in town and fellow writer, Ring Lardner, lived next door to Swope’s current home which was a large gothic-inspired mansion which was said to have a constant string of parties. Although the homes aren’t architecturally similar, Fitzgerald did cite Swope as a source of inspiration for the book later.

Another possible source of inspiration for the Gatsby mansion was Harbor Hill, which held one of the most extravagant parties in the roaring twenties in 1924. Although Gatsby and Zelda had already left for France by that time, they did reportedly attend a party there in 1923.

Beacon Towers is another lavish mansion that has been speculated to have inspired Fitzgerald during his time in Great Neck. This home was originally designed by a widowed Vanderbilt and modeled Blair Castle in Scotland. Complete with turrets, this home has an old-fashioned elusiveness that works well for the narrative and character of Gatsby.

Finally, there is Kings Point which is located at the end of what is now aptly named Gatsby Lane. During Fitzgerald’s time there, it was the home of Richard Church of the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda family. Very strangely, after it was bought by elderly widow Majorie Brickman Kern in 1951, it resulted in a feud between her two sons in the 1990s. This battle over their inheritance came to a head with Jennifer Eley, wife of John F. Handler, being found dead in the pool. Spooky, right?

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Whitby Abbey: Dracula

Located in Yorkshire, England (yes, not the infamous Transylvania) is the Whitby Abbey which provided the inspiration for the classic novel Dracula. Bram Stoker was visiting Yorkshire in 1890 when he stumbled upon the crumbling ruins of the 7th Century Christian Monastery and he found the gothic architecture so haunting that it inspired this classic tale. The structure still stands today and as the fog sets into the town looming below and the waves of the North Sea crash against the shore… well, one can see why he chose it.

Top Withens: Wuthering Heights

This decaying farmhouse in West Yorkshire, England is said to have provided some inspiration for the novel Wuthering Heights. Although physically the farmhouse doesn’t bear much resemblance to the family home in Emily Bronte’s novel, there is a plaque affixed to the ruins indicating that the farmhouse bears an association with the book. This countryside is said to have inspired many writers also including Bram Stoker.

Mark Twain Cave: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

In Mark Twain’s hometown of Hannibal, Missouri there is a small cave that provided the inspiration for McDougal’s Cave from the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Formerly known as the McDowell Cave, the location was renamed in honor of the renowned author after it provided inspiration for a pivotal location in his book.

Bath, England: Persuasion

Jane Austen resided in Bath, England from 1801 to 1806 and this town became the inspiration and setting for her novel Persuasion. Not only was the town the center of fashion and nobility in the early 19th century, but it also became the location where her characters socialized, attended balls, and attempted to arrange marriages. Many of Bath’s addresses are included in the novel and Bath itself still honors Austen with events like the Jane Austen Ball and the Jane Austen Festival.

Sands Point, NY: The Great Gatsby

Sands Point, NY, a small village along the north shore of Long Island, provided the inspiration for Easter Egg in the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby. The area is home to a French Normandy-style mansion, which was once owned by Fitzgerald’s friend Mary Harriman Rumsey, is said to have inspired the lavish mansion parties featured in the story.

Stanley Hotel: The Shining

Stephen King’s inspiration for his haunting novel The Shining came in the form of a precarious hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. A member of the Dorrance family recently visited The Stanley Hotel and thought it best to share the story with fellow writers: “Finding inspiration for a story that will capture an audience’s attention can be a writer’s biggest battle. Inspiration will not find you, you have to go out into the world and find it yourself. A change in scenery and pressure will likely be the key to creating an award-winning story. In Stephen King’s case, he drove north for a few hours, climbing treacherous winding roads leading to an eerie place named the Stanley Hotel. Not only did the ghostly hotel, surrounded by the steep mountains of Colorado, fuel his inspiration, but the pressure to perform had him on edge to create a masterpiece. He was under a self-imposed deadline due to the fact that he had to pay for his room each additional night in which he did not find the right idea. The fact is, that this combination of stress and inspirational atmosphere was the perfect concoction in order for him to create one of the most notable novels in history.”

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