# Where Are The Beverly Hillbillies From? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 12, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806 "2020-02-12T04:23:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/21 "2020-02-12T14:04:25Z")
They were from a rural Southern state that smug Hollywood scriptwriters liked to mock. The actual name of the state is ultimately unknowable. ---
**Author:** ![txjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@txjim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txjim)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/22 "2020-02-12T14:33:40Z")
As an aside, the world would not be safe if you applied your talents to evil instead of good ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/23 "2020-02-12T14:38:53Z")
Didn’t we [just go through this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=886598) a couple of months ago? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/24 "2020-02-12T15:12:39Z")
> [@TV Show Characters from Arkansas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-characters-from-arkansas/844650/31): > > They were from a fictional “Bug Tussle”; fans are still divided on whether it’s in MO or AR. … ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/25 "2020-02-12T15:27:09Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > True, but Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri converge on the Mississippi. But the area where the three states converge is very flat delta land. There may have once been a town called Sibley in this area but I have not considered it because it could not be considered “in the hills” by any stretch of the imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/26 "2020-02-12T15:35:47Z")
It’s Ar-kansas. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/27 "2020-02-12T15:43:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Springfield. It’s a hell of a town. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/28 "2020-02-12T15:55:09Z")
Nice research. I always thought it was Tennessee while watching the shows in syndication While reading the OP, Did anyone get flashbacks to [Lion vs Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=661555)? ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/29 "2020-02-12T16:07:00Z")
I saw a similar discussion about what state Benson was in. I would think that the dialog or story lines in a fictional place is based on what fits what is in the episode. If they want mountains 100 miles away then that’s where they put them. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/30 "2020-02-12T16:09:36Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Springfield. Nah, [Danville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danville). Danville, AK, to be exact. 🙂 **Ynnad** , not to make light of your OP. I always pictured Kentucky, FWIW. (I know, nothing). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/31 "2020-02-12T16:16:02Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > I saw a similar discussion about what state Benson was in. I would think that the dialog or story lines in a fictional place is based on what fits what is in the episode. If they want mountains 100 miles away then that’s where they put them. For some reason I was certain that it was Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/32 "2020-02-12T16:27:14Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > I saw a similar discussion about what state Benson was in. I would think that the dialog or story lines in a fictional place is based on what fits what is in the episode. If they want mountains 100 miles away then that’s where they put them. _Soap_, the series where the character first appeared, was set in Connecticut. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/33 "2020-02-12T16:36:51Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > It’s Ar-kansas. Well, the first thing you know, old Beck’s a millionaire… ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/34 "2020-02-12T17:05:24Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Nah, [Danville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danville). Danville, AK, to be exact. > … I cannot find Danville, Alaska anywhere in your Wikipedia link. Did you mean Danville, Arkansas (Danville AR)? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/35 "2020-02-12T17:41:46Z")
To find Jed’s old cabin you start out near Dardanelle in Yell county. Take the last train to Clarksville and then head north. It’s a fur piece up there but somewhere around Sand Gap you’ll find a trace headed west, take that. Not really a road, more of a hog waller, but if you take your old blue tick hound and look around, you can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/36 "2020-02-12T17:49:25Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > To find Jed’s old cabin you start out near Dardanelle in Yell county. Take the last train to Clarksville and then head north. It’s a fur piece up there but somewhere around Sand Gap you’ll find a trace headed west, take that. Not really a road, more of a hog waller, but if you take your old blue tick hound and look around, you can find it. I’m sure you have to turn left at Greenland. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/37 "2020-02-12T18:09:40Z")
I always thought Arkansas but I remember in one episode how Granny missed snow. Seems to me there’s more snow in the hills of Tennessee than Arkansas. Specific nearby towns- you’ll never nail it down. As the OP’s copious notes show, continuity was not a thing in 1960s sitcoms. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/38 "2020-02-12T18:20:45Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Specific nearby towns- you’ll never nail it down. As the OP’s copious notes show, continuity was not a thing in 1960s sitcoms. Unfortunately most of those old rural sitcoms were cancelled in the great Rural Purge of the early '70s. Yeah, it was a real thing. Even though many of the shows were still popular, they were cancelled in favor of shows for a younger market. > **[Rural purge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge)** > > The "rural purge" of American television networks (in particular CBS) was a series of cancellations in the early 1970s of still-popular rural-themed shows with demographically skewed audiences, the majority of which occurred at the end of the 1970–71 television season. In addition to rural-themed shows such as Mayberry R.F.D., The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres, the cancellations ended several highly rated variety shows that had been on CBS since the beginning of te... That is how we got a decade or so of city cop shows and other drama. I don’t remember who said it, but they got rid of everything that had a tree in it. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/39 "2020-02-12T18:25:45Z")
It was the actor who played Mr. Haney on Green Acres. > [@](#): > > “It was the year CBS killed everything with a tree in it,” quipped the actor who played Mr. Haney on “Green Acres.”… Good article here: [https://www.socionomics.net/2013/10/the-rural-purge-the-year-cbs-killed-everything-with-a-tree-in-it/](https://www.socionomics.net/2013/10/the-rural-purge-the-year-cbs-killed-everything-with-a-tree-in-it/) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806/40 "2020-02-12T18:34:51Z")
Chi-town? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-beverly-hillbillies-from/847806.md?page=3)