Which Long Island location was the original setting for Stranger Things? The answer is Montauk.
Before the series became Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers developed it under the title Montauk. The early script placed the story in Montauk, New York, and nearby Long Island locations. That setting connected the project to real-world conspiracy lore surrounding the so-called Montauk Project, a story about alleged secret experiments.
Montauk also offered a strong Spielberg connection through Jaws. The fictional Amity Island in that film was inspired by and associated with Long Island’s Montauk area, which helped the Duffers capture the coastal, ominous atmosphere they wanted. The series eventually moved to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, because a made-up town gave the creators more freedom to impose quarantines and reshape the community.
A common mix-up is to answer Hawkins, which is the show’s on-screen setting, rather than Montauk, the location in the original concept. Montauk was also retained as an important production and story-development reference, even after the title and setting changed.