Hawkins, Indiana is a small midwestern town loated in Roane County in Indiana, U.S., positioned around 80 miles outside of Indianapolis. It has an estimated population of 10,000 to 15,000. Prior to 1983, Hawkins was a largely quiet and uneventful town, but following the opening of a gate to the Upside Down, the alternate dimension has slowly infected the surrounding environment. The 1980s was a decade of pop culture emergence, an explosion of blockbuster movies and cable networks - which allowed people to be influenced by the glam rock and metal music scene.