47. HIDDEN HISTORY: The Real Inspiration for Stranger Things

Montauk, NY | The premise for Stranger Things didn’t come from nowhere. We’re headed to Montauk, New York, where a real Cold War base, abandoned bunkers, and stubborn paper trails collide with a conspiracy theory that helped inspire Netflix’s biggest monster story. You’ll hear from Montauk native and author Brian Minnick, who explored Camp Hero as a kid, got chased by “security” years after the base supposedly closed, and found enough oddities to make one question what was actually sealed up and what kept running.

I highly recommend Brian Minnick’s book Montauk is Strange. You can find it here:
https://www.amazon.com/Montauk-Strange-Archives-Exploring-Project-ebook/dp/B0CYMCYPZ1

To learn more about Brian and see exclusive videos of his underground explorations (fascinating!), you can follow him at https://www.instagram.com/montauk_is_strange/.

Follow for episode photos and more at:
📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod
✉️ Email: [e-mail]

🐇 Sources:
https://facesoflongisland.newsday.com/montauk-lighthouse-keeper-tells-tall-tales-of-history-a-ghost-and-the-next-200-years/
https://montauklibrary.org/throwback-thursday-montauks-air-force-station/
https://nypost.com/article/camp-hero-montauk-project-conspiracy/
https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/camp-hero-state-park
https://play.history.com/specials/the-dark-files-3/full-special.
https://strangerthings.fandom.com/wiki/Hawkins_National_Laboratory
https://www.britannica.com/topic/MK-ULTRA
https://www.businessinsider.com/camp-hero-montauk-air-force-base-inspired-stranger-things-photos-2023
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00789R002800180001-2.pdf
https://www.history.com/articles/cia-esp-espionage-soviet-union-cold-war
https://www.history.com/articles/what-was-operation-paperclip
https://www.history.com/mkultra-operation-midnight-climax-cia-lsd-experiments
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/duffer-brothers-talk-stranger-things-916180/
https://www.masterclass.com/classes/the-duffer-brothers-teach-developing-an-original-tv-series
https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/the-dark-files-film-explores-montauk-s-mysterious-camp-hero-state-park-on-history-channel-v57264
https://www.npr.org/2014/02/15/275877755/the-secret-operation-to-bring-nazi-scientists-to-america
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/09/758989641/the-cias-secret-quest-for-mind-control-torture-lsd-and-a-poisoner-in-chief
https://www.phillyvoice.com/holmesburg-prison-inmate-experiments-apology-northeast-philadelphia-albert-kligma/
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-montauk-monster/
https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/stranger-things-duffers-lawsuit-montauk-project
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/09/16/fact-check-nazi-scientists-brought-u-s-operation-paperclip/5690870002/
Newsday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBu4YlJENOc
MONTAUK: You're Not Going to Like This. The InBetween. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ODjWTL8q0&t=2s
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-mercury-1960-radar-tower/187508067
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-montauk-camp-hero-opens/187510174/

🎵 Music from Pixabay:
Cloudscape by Aonescape
Stranger Things by Music_Unlimited
Mystical Emotions - Atmospheric Cinematic by Dvir Silverstone
Cinematic Tension Soundscape by Lilliben
Dark Story Investigator - Sinister

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👏 Special thanks to our talented partners:
Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/)
Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)