As noted earlier, the information given in the show often contradicts itself, so that it’s impossible to say for sure. However, the following features have been shown often enough that they may be taken as definitive:
It snows in the winter, sometimes a lot.
Springfield was founded in the late 18th century by Jebidiah Springfield, a fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of George Washington.
Springfield was on the Union side during the Civil War. (At least, if massacring wounded Confederates attempting to surrender counts.)
The east coast (New York, etc.) is a long car trip away, over 24 hours drive.
My guess? Somewhere in the Ohio/Indiana/Illinois area. Maybe western Pennsylvania or Kentucky. (I know that some episodes have the coast be adjacent; but others don’t.)
Based on the clues at the site posted by Flymaster, I think a case can be made for just about every state in the contiguous US, except maybe North Tak… I mean, Dakota…
Of course, for any state you will have to ignore at least 3/4ths of the clues that won’t apply.
Here’s a big clue for everybody: Don’t believe anything Tom and Ray say unless confirmed by Cecil. Especially stuff that doesn’t relate to cars. Those guys generate as much bogus info as Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader.
Question: What TV shows are placed in Springfield? The Simpsons, of course and Father Knows Best. Also Guiding Light (soap opera). Are there any others?
According to a letter that Lisa received in this episode, Springfield’s zipcode is 00913. A quick entry of it into the USPS website reveals the TRUTH: Springfield is in Puerto Rico.
[Lionel Hutz]
“There’s the truth…and then there’s the TRUTH!”
[/Lionel Hutz]
We mustn’t forget that Springfield is next to Shelbyville, remeber they stole the city’s lemon tree, lemons being the sweetest fruit there was in 18 dickity two.
I agree that there are so many conflicts that it couldn’t possibly be in a real state. However, it’s fun to keep track of the clues and contradictions: climate, scenery, clothing, accents, events. I agree with Lumpy that most of Springfield’s characteristics would put it in Middle America–the Ohio/Indiana/Illinois area. The Pacific Northwest is the next most likely place. Here are some clues/contradictions I saw on shows:
In the episode where Lisa gets a crush on an Environmentalist, she climbs a Redwood tree and looks out over Springfield. She sees the St. Louis arch next to the city. I believe Redwoods only grow in N. California. Pacific NW?
However, the arch is only visible from the St. Louis area (Springfield, ILL if you go high enough?) Midwest?
I saw a episode where Grandpa is asked to sew a US flag. He only puts 49 stars on it. When asked why, he says “I will be dead and buried before I recognize the state of Missouri”! So, it is probably not Springfield, Mo.
Homer joins the Navy Reserves. Sails in a sub. Thus, it’s a coastal city. Pacific NW?
Some episodes have mountain scenes. Pacific NW?
Mayor speaks with Boston accent. There is an Italian mafia/mob. Northeast?
None of the regulars have a Southern accent. It is not in the South, and probably not Ky.
Green, grassy lawns and homes look like Midwest. Could be NW or NE.
Bart skate boards over a canyon. Pacific NW?
Homer drives 18 wheeler truck to Atlanta. Takes at least a day or two.
In the episode where Lisa gets a crush on an Environmentalist, she climbs a Redwood tree and looks out over Springfield. She sees the St. Louis arch next to the city. I believe Redwoods only grow in N. California. Pacific NW?
However, the arch is only visible from the St. Louis area (Springfield, ILL if you go high enough?) Midwest?
Pacific NW:
2a. Homer joins the Navy Reserves. Sails in a sub. Thus, it’s a coastal city.
2b. Some episodes have mountain scenes.
2c. Bart skate boards over a canyon.
It is not in the South, and probably not Ky:
3a. None of the regulars have a Southern accent.
3b. Homer drives 18 wheeler truck to Atlanta. Takes at least a day or two.
3c. Green, grassy lawns and homes look like Midwest. I think their house has a basement and garage. Looks like Midwest, but could be NW or NE.
Northeast:
4. Mayor speaks with Boston accent. There is an Italian mafia/mob.
Other:
5. Episode where Grandpa is asked to sew a US flag. He only puts 49 stars on it. When asked why, he says “I will be dead and buried before I recognize the state of Missouri”! So, it is probably not Springfield, Mo.
I’ve seen a couple of episodes that consistently show the ocean to the right, and presumably East, of land in map views. This combined with the distinctly non-Easter feasures like the Grand Chasm, Cattle Skull Testing Ground and alkali flats of the Springfield Badlands (where the emergency broadcast civil defense shack is located) lead me to the conclusion there is no place that matches all the clues. For those of us that get the joke the clues eventually exclude all the states. North Takoma Not Just Another State works for me.
Cheese Head, I don’t think the St. Louis arch was next to Springfield, it was just that the tree was so huge she could see it from there.
I don’t think geographical features can be used as clues simply because whatever features are needed are put in for that week’s episode. A mountain so high no one’s reached the peak before? No problem. A desert? There you are. A beach or harbor- even though in one episode the Simpsons had to drive to reach the coast for their summer vacation? Easy. Redwoods and lemon trees growing in the same climate? Ditto canyons, caves, geysers, palm trees, etc.
Plus, it’s been established that there is zero continuity between episodes. I think they made fun of this by having an episode that ended with Homer becoming an amputee, only to show a “scene from next week” with everything back to normal.
My theory is that the misrun Springfield nuclear reactor has weakened the dimensional barriers, so that we’re seeing a succession of alternate Springfields every week.
Yeah, I know, but it’s fun to chase the clues. Now I remember the one resident hillbilly guy who sometimes appears on shows. He seems like someone from Kentucky, or the Ohio river valley (S. Illinois/Indiana/Ohio).
Homer works at Burn’s nuclear plant. According to http://www.nrc.gov/AEOD/pib/disclaimer.html there are no commercial reactors in Oregon, N. Cali, Kentucky, Indiana, or S. Ohio. Washington has one in the southeast part, there are two in Northern Ohio, and 13 in Illinois, but only one in S. Illinois. So, out of those candidates, only Illinois, N. Ohio and Washington have reactors.
Basically, I think Springfield alternates from show to show between the Pacific NW, the Ohio river valley just north of Kentucky, and the Northeast. I don’t recall any evidence that it is in the South or Southwest (no palm trees, no deserts, plenty of water and rain).
It’s funny that the show can go so long (10 yrs?) without pinning down a specific location.
At the time the show started, there was a nuke plant a short ways down the Columbia (on the Oregon side of the river) from Groening’s hometown, Portland. It’s since been decommissioned.
Many of the features shown in close proximity to Springfield can be found within about 80 miles or so of Portland: ocean, mountain range, river, gorge, desert, forest. You’d have to go somewhat further than that to find redwoods or alkalai flats, though. Not that I’m saying that Portland is the model for Springfield, but the diversity of Oregon landscapes could have inspired some of the episodes.
As has been said, it’s a running joke that their home state is not told.
I too have examined the evidence from many shows (e.g., radio station call letters, driving distances and directions, references to other states) in hopes of narrowing it down but a lot of it is conflicting and there is no state that fits the bill.
KV mentioned Massachusetts. Although that is not the Simpson’s state, it is an interesting bit of trivia that the guy in charge of the backgrounds in the show is from Mass (actually, my home town…actually, he was in the graduating class one year ahead of me in high school…anyway…). He uses several buildings, etc. in our area as inspirations for some of the backgrounds. The Springfield town hall is a combination of Montecello and my home town’s public library. One of the pizza shops on the Springfield boardwalk is an actual one about a half mile from where I live.
It depends on whether you’re talking about The Simpsons the show, or the Simpsons, the family portraying the family in the show.
In a spoof of the VH1 Behind the Music series they are clearly shown as separate persona. The real family is from southern Missouri (may or may not be Springfield and no they don’t change the state). The show is set in Springfield, USA. The creators use all kinds of tricks (see above, the other thread, usenet groups, ad nauseum) to keep the state the show is set in a mystery.
Since there is no “right” answer to the OP, I don’t feel so bad.
Odd to see Garland, TX, mentioned. I lived there from 1975 to 1987!
I’d heard on some MTV “News” Beavis and Butthead special from way back when that Mike Judge had modelled B&B’s town after Garland. When I attended Garland High, I’m pretty sure that I sat next to Beavis and Butthead in Health class.
IIRC, when Mike Judge worked in Dallas, he lived in Garland.
So, it’s not a stretch that Arlen might be modelled after Garland, but:
In the ep. where Hank and Bobby go to Cowboy’s training camp in Wichita Falls, the locals refer to Arlen as being in “South Texas”. (Of course, most of Texas is south of Wichita Falls.) Other similar references have been made in other eps. Dallas/Garland is nowhere close to being South Texas.
However, Arlen’s closest major airport is apparently DFW. I guess we’re back to Garland…
So there you have the results of my intensive Sunday-night research.
just for sh*ts `n giggles, I decided to do a search at Mapquest, for Springfield, without specifying any state… it returned 52 results…
Midway gave 212 results…
now, there may be duplicates in there (2 maps featuring the same city… ?), but that’s just an indication of how many there may be…
Bobby Hill (he’s changed a bit since his service on “Hill Street Blues”, hasn’t he?) attends Tom Landry Junior High School, not Bum Phillips JHS. That says Arlen is closer to Dallas than Houston, doesn’t it?
muttrox - - In order to protect my secret identity, let’s just say it’s along route 3 north of Boston. But it probably won’t be easy to recognize anything. I just know because there was an article about it in our local paper.
But it probably won’t be easy to recognize anything. I just know because there was an article about it in our local paper.