Papa, Metropolis and Gotham City are obviously supposed to be New York, as I’m sure you know. “Gotham” was used to refer to NYC as far back as the 19th century. “Grand Fenwick”, if I remember the book The Mouse that Roared correctly, is (fictionally) a tiny, independent, Andorra- or Liechtenstein-style country somewhere in the Alps.
This is probably off topic, but, as an Oregonian, I’ve always been proud that a some of the characters’ names come from Portland streets:
Lovejoy
Terwilliger
Quimby
Flanders
Kearny
and, of course,
Simpson!
Umm… That’s all I can think of right now 
Maybe everyone’s sick of hearing about it, but… In the “Radioactive man” episode, movie producers are trying to pick a location to shoot the movie.
Seeing an ad, the producer yells, "Get me two airplane tickets to whatever state Springfield is in!
No one went to the site Ian mentioned, did they? http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html
Reasons it’s not Louisiana:
“Louisiana – Mt. Splashmore services the tri-county area.
Chief Wiggum located a hole-digger in Shreveport”
Why it’s not New Jersey:
“New Jersey – Leon says ``I’m a bricklayer from Paterson, New Jersey.’’”
and
“Grampa has to cross the state border to reach a casino, so Springfield must be in a state that borders Nevada or New Jersey. But it can’t be New Jersey because New Jersey allows casino gambling only in Atlantic City, which isn’t a border town.”
Why it’s not Pennsylvania:
“[Greg R Hasty] The Simpsons go to Pennsylvania.”
" Hank tells Homer to call him if he’s ever on the East Coast.
Redwood trees (apparently endemic to Cypress Creek) are only found in the Pacific Northwest."
Why it’s not Oregon:
" Fort Springfield was the site of a Civil War battle, suggesting it's in the southeast quadrant of the U.S.'' …the architecture at the fort suggests its more of the type of Great Plains fort used in wars against American Indians. It was a Union fort since its troops wore blue.’’
``killer have arrived in Springfield, suggesting its in one of the states which borders Mexico.’"
nuqDaq yuch Dapol? (Where do you keep the chocolate?)
(Laughs evilly rubbing hands together insanly)
And people thought it was a simple question yet I have inspired MILLIONS to stay up at all hours thinking where Springfield is. Today just this thread, tomorrow THE WORLD!
MMMUHHAHWHAHAHWHAHWHAHAHAHAWHHAW <Lighting and thunder claps>
[[4) Riverdale (I’d rather have Veronica’s address)]]
Southern California.
[[Which direction do you drive if you want to travel from Raleigh to Mayberry? ]]
Southeast. “Mayberry” was supposed to be outside Mt. Airy (“Mt. Pilot” being the thinly-veiled substitute name). Pilot Mt. (the big hill, not a town) is near Mt. Airy.
I agree that Mayberry was clearly based on Mount Airy, a town Andy Griffith grew up in, but you’ve reversed the direction that the question was asking. Raleigh to Mount Airy is northwest.
I would like to nominate Wilmington, North Carolina as the “most Springfield-like town in the United States”.
[list=1][li]No Kwik-E-Marts, but there are Kwik Marts.[/li][li]Springfield has both snow and hurricanes. Wilmington doesn’t have a lot of snow, but it did have an 18-inch Christmas day snow about 10 years back. And it certainly has hurricanes–including three direct hits in just the last three years.[/li][li]Springfield is often shown both as being near a river and the ocean. Wilmington is a port located on the Cape Fear river, a short distance inland from the Atlantic ocean. (The Sideshow Bob episode where Bart is threatened on a river houseboat? It was entitled Cape Feare.) Need a lighthouse? Nearby Bald Head Island has one.[/li][li]There is an episode where Homer et al. are swept out to sea during a river trip, and are saved when they come across an oil rig. According to the map we briefly see, the oil rig is in the Altantic, possibly near the North Carolina outer banks. The best guess is that they were originally on the Cape Fear river, then, once they reached the ocean, swept northeast by the Gulf Stream current.[/li][li]The major over-the-air TV stations in both Springfield and Wilmington are channels 3 and 6.[/li][li]At the time the show first aired, the nuclear power plan in Brunswick County was on watch as one of the worst run in the United States.[/li][li]“Highway 401” is often mentioned on the show. A highway 401 runs a short distance from Wilmington, although this might also be a transposition of interstate I40, which terminates in Wilmington.[/li][li]There is an episode where David Brinkley is one of the celebrity announcers for a town parade. David Brinkley grew up in Wilmington. (He left, of course. A lot of famous people have left–sports figures include Michael Jordan, Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jurgenson and Sam Huff).[/li][li]On the Simpsons, the Radioactiveman movie was filmed in Springfield, presumably at Krustylu Studios. Wilmington also has a small movie production lot. Until a few years ago this studio was part of Carolco–recently it was sold to Screen Gems. (Carolco had been in financial trouble, especially after the chairman of board of the parent company was shot to death by his sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez.) Actor Brandon Lee died in Wilmington, after an accidental shooting on the soundstage of The Crow. Lee died in New Hanover Regional Medical Center. This same hospital got a lot of national attention a couple of years back, when it became known that one of the surgeons working there was doing things like taking a lunch break during surgery. Michael Jordan’s father was shot to death in a robbery a few years back, while heading home, after visiting friends in Wilmington.[/li][li]There are a lot of references to the Matlock TV show, or, in Abe Simpsons phrasing, “Maaatloock”. In one of the Simpsons episode “the star of Matlock” even makes a personal apperance. Matlock was filmed at Carolco in Wilmington–there were even a couple of episodes where Ben Matlock “visits” Wilmington. (These days Dawson’s Creek is filmed at the same studio).[/li]There have been a couple of references in the Simpsons to “driving out the Irish”. Wilmington’s claim to fame, a century ago, was to drive out the blacks. In 1898, Wilmington was majority black, and many of its elected officials were also black. That was the year that white supremicists took up arms and overthrew the local government by force, killing a few people along the way and exiling many more, and setting up a new whites-only government. In 1898 Wilmington was the largest city in North Carolina. Since then, it has faded to around tenth.[/list=1]
[[I agree that Mayberry was clearly based on Mount Airy, a town Andy Griffith grew up in, but you’ve reversed the direction that the question was asking. Raleigh to Mount Airy is northwest. ]]
Yes, my sloppiness.
According to my atlas, there is a Springfield in states in these parts of the USA:
Midwest - Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio
West - Oregon, Idaho, Colorado
East - Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Massachusetts
South - Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky
Consider the appearance, dress, mannerisms, speech (lack of accent), and family values of the Simpsons and the rest of the characters. They all seem to be Midwestern. Additionally, consider the overall scenery, weather climate, and racial make-up of Springfield. The Simpsons live in a subdivision of middle-income houses with grassy green lawns. Racially, the Springfield characters are mostly white. There is a black doctor and a convenience store manager from India, but that’s about it for non-whites.
Only the weather climate does not seem to quite fit in the Midwest. The weather appears generally mild, because they rarely wear jackets, gloves, or hats, and Bart usually wears shorts. Also, there was an episode where Homer climbed a nearby, snow-capped, mountain. That usually indicates a Rocky Mountain state, but I think that was just an exception that didn’t coincide with most of the other episodes. Occasionally, I have seen snow in episodes, I think there was a tornado once, but never a hurricane. That indicates the midwest.
There is no Springfield in Louisiana. If Springfield was in a Southern state, then the Simpsons and other characters would have southern accents, complain about the heat and humidity, and there would be a lot of black characters. So, they don’t live down South. If Springfield was out West, such as in Colorado or Idaho, then there would probably be mountains in a lot of the episodes, and beach scenes, too, if they were in Oregon, but there aren’t. If Springfield was on the East coast (Maine, Mass.), then there would likely be beach scenes, too, but there aren’t.
The evidence suggests Springfield is in the Midwest, so the only question is, what Midwestern state? In a recent episode, there was a news story about Springfield, Mo., and they said “glad that’s not us”, so they do not live in Springfield, Mo. So, I think it is the Springfield in Illinois, Ohio, or Minnesota.
Next question…where do Beavis and Butthead live?
Lake Woebegon is north of St. Cloud. (and probably east or west. I’m not certain enough of the location of St. Cloud to be positive). Lake Woebegon is in the center of MN, because it was left off the map because the four maps made by the different (explorers? mapmakers?) overlapped, right on top of Lake Woebegon.
Dools, you’ve done it again.
- C’mon set these folks free and tell 'em where Springfield *really[/]is. Don’t forget the justification!!
Springfield must be in Missouri. Why? Because that’s where my TV is, and Springfield is of course inside it.
Springfield must be in Missouri. Why? Because that’s where my TV is, and Springfield is of course inside it.
There couldn’t be any beach scenes if the Simpsons were in Springfield, Mass. anyway! It’s located in the south central portion of the state, not too far from the Berkshire mountains. Just my $.02…
All Hail Unca Cecil, or the next best thing available!
Cheese Head,
Of course there was a hurricane once! That was the episode where Ned’s house was torn apart and the town rebuilt it really crappily and he blew his top and committed himself and that’s when we learned that he hated his hippy parents who wouldn’t discipline him as a child…
And where one of my favorite Ralph Wiggums quotes comes from, as a panicked crowd stock up on supplies at the Kwik-E-Mart a near-sighted old lady grabs Lisa by the head and says she’s got the last pineapple. She puts Lisa in her cart next to the “last pumpkin,” Ralph Wiggums, who says, “Hi, Lisa, I’m going to be a pie!”
No hurricane!
sigh
Why it’s not North Carolina:
" Grampa has to cross the state border to reach a casino, so Springfield must be in a state that borders Nevada or New Jersey. But it can’t be New Jersey because New Jersey allows casino gambling only in Atlantic City, which isn’t a border town."
and
“Hank tells Homer to call him if he’s ever on the East Coast.
Redwood trees (apparently endemic to Cypress Creek) are only found in the Pacific Northwest.
Cypress Creek is ``upstate,’’ suggesting a vertical state.”
Why it’s not Illinois:
“Illinois – Springfield is not the state capital
– Chicago is mentioned on the Michelangelo’s David coast-to-coast tour of United States.
– The driver’s license agency is not called ‘DMV’
– It’s ``nowhere near’’ Chicago. – Someone in Chicago answers a math question.”
Why it’s not Ohio:
“Ohio – There are no Kwik-E-Marts in Ohio.”
Why it’s not Minnesota:
“Alabama, Minnesota, New York
– Other states which had their own essay competitions.”
While I think it might be fun to figure out for sure “where Springfield is”, I doubt it will happen. I suspect that it’s been carefully planned to eliminate every state.
nuqDaq yuch Dapol? (Where do you keep the chocolate?)
Springfield is in “Nowhere U.S.A.”
Everybody here introduced clues that contradicted somebody elses (or even themselves) conviction.
Springfield is in a Pacific Northwestern State, that fought in the Civil War, has one mountain, a river, lake and ocean near it. It has to be within driving distance to New York and Washington D.C. without being on the East Coast. It has to snow occasionally. It’s in a relatively flat part of the country, yet have hills. It’s near cities in Louisiana (but no one has spoken accents). In fact in one episode it should be on the west coast (this episode is where Homer is captain on a Submarine which he leads into Russian Waters (by going Northwest.)
SO it’s nowhere.
But I really want to say Tennessee. Springfield and Shelbyville, TN are close enough to be rivals, and Ned Flanders seems to be the type of people I run across in Tennessee.
But its equally likely that Springfield is in Guam!
Kat did protest too much:
sigh
Why it’s not North Carolina: [snip]
I never claimed “Springfield is in North Carolina”. I said Wilmington is the most Springfield-like town in the U.S. that I know of.
I also think Raleigh-Durham is the most heavenly place in the United States. Which does mean I claiming that “heaven is physically located in central North Carolina”.
Kat added: While I think it might be fun to figure out for sure “where Springfield is”, I doubt it will happen. I suspect that it’s been carefully planned to eliminate every state.
To quote Marge, “Well, duh”…
Is that the one where Lenin comes back to life and says “Must… smash… capitalism”? I haven’t seen that one and I’m dying to.
All Hail Unca Cecil, or the next best thing available!