[LIST] Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield? Version 2.9
Andrew Gill
Version 2.9
Originally by Raymond Chen & Dave Hall
Maintained by Andrew A. Gill <and...@snpp.com>
Where is ``Where is The Simpsons' Springfield?'':
<http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html>
or via email at:
<sprin...@lyris.snpp.com>
(content is irrelevant)
=[ What's new in this revision ]============================
I'm finally up to the end of season 8! By the end of Season
9, you should see some major changes in the speed of
updates.
One more thing: the graves of those said to be buried in
Springfield are now here.
=[ Where is The Simpson's Springfield? [version 2.9] ]======
First, you have to remember that nobody really believes
Springfield is anywhere in particular. It's just an
'Anytown, USA'. Bearing this in mind, it's still fun to
see what sort of clues we're given, to find out [if] it
existed, where it would be.
- Raymond Chen
Also of note: Some parts of Springfield do exist in the real
world. This document also provides places where fantasy and
reality cross.
--Andrew Gill
============================================================
Matt Groening speaks
============================================================
From: gu...@muddled.cso.uiuc.edu (Rohit Gupta) 16 Nov 90
I'm from Springfield, IL, and one of the local papers
recently had an interview with MG. In it he was asked about
'Springfield' and he replied that he chose it because it is
one of the most common city names.
[FWIW, Springfield is at least #2 in commonality, with
Fairview leading with 275 in 42 states (and Puerto Rico)
-ed]
=[ The Zen of Springfield ]=================================
This scene from a preliminary script to ``Brother, Can You
Spare Two Dimes'' demonstrates the proper attitude to have
towards the issue.
Scene: A train station. Herbert Powell is at the
ticket booth.
Herb: I want a ticket to Springfield.
Ticket Agent: Springfield, Illinois?
Herb: No.
Ticket Agent: Springfield, Massachusetts?
Herb: No, Springfield...
As Herb says the name of the state, a train whistle
blows, preventing us from hearing the answer.
============================================================
``The Real Origin of Springfield and The Simpsons''
by Dmitri Brengauz
I noticed that the last line of Homer's driver's license
reads:
Springfield, NT 49007. Now, it is very well know that
there is no state in the U.S. with the postal abbreviation
NT, however, NT is the postal abbreviation for Northern
Territory -- the least populous region of Australia
(cap.: Darwin). Unfortunately, I know for a fact that
that there is no town with a population of over 50 people
anywhere in the NT with the name ``Springfield.'' There
is however, an interesting hypothesis which would explain
ALL of the continuity problems in the show.
The very real town of Tennant Creek, NT was said to have
been founded when a road train (a tractor trailer-
trailer-trailer another Outback phenomenon) laden with
beer broke down on the road between Darwin and Alice
Springs. The drivers made themselves comfortable to enjoy
their cargo, found some ore deposits, and thereby founded
the town.
Now, Homer J. Simpson of Springfield, NT (a town of 0-20
or so people) was just such a driver, and the beer
combined with the dry desert heat made him see all sorts
of wonderful messages and dreams, the contents of which he
wrote on the backs of over 200 empty beer cases. Matt
Groening, on an Australian holiday, found the truck, the
corpse, and the messages. And this was the origin of the
show.
- Dmitri Brengauz
=[ What country is the Simpson's Springfield in? ]==========
It's pretty clear the Simpson's Springfield is in the United
States of America. US flags hang everywhere. (Note the flag
during the opening credits.)
[7G01] Bart & Lisa watch ``America's Most Armed and
Dangerous''.
[7G02] Bart calls Homer a ``balding North American ape''.
[7G10] Bart joins the ``Future Photographers of America''
club.
[7F06] Lance Murdoch says, ``The United States of America
has the best doctor-to-daredevil ratio in the world.''
[7F07] Pauline M Muggli (pmmu...@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu)
observes that Springfield is in a country that
celebrates Thanksgiving, complete with pilgrims and
Indians. Also, Bart dreams of Uncle Sam.
[7F16] When Herbert Powell asks Homer what country he's
from, Homer proudly announces, ``America!''. (Just
goes to show that Homer doesn't know the name of his
own country, I guess.)
[7F21] Bart says to the bank clerk, ``Americanize this, my
good man.''
[7F22] Monty Burns dictates his epitaph to read, ``Charles
Montgomery Burns, American Patriot''.
[8F01] So much evidence it isn't funny.
[8F04] Homer says, ``Hey, this is the only paper in America
that's not afraid to tell the truth.''
[8F22] Homer takes part in the Fourth of July parade.
[9F02] Troy says, ``Live from beautiful Laughlin, Nevada,
it's the Miss American Girl Pageant!''
[9F06] Marge states you can see the Simpson house in the
photo of TIME's cover story: ``America's Worst
City''.
[9F19] Bart says, ``That cute little character could take
America by storm.''
[9F20] Lionel Hutz says, ``If there's one thing America
needs, it's more lawyers.''
[1F01] Homer says, ``Mmmm, sixty four slices of American
cheese.''
[1F04] Neddy Devil says, ``Oh, you Americans with your due
process and fair trials.''
[1F07] Mrs. Krabappel says, ``...and in our American
democracy, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
(Bart replies, ``God bless America.'')
[1F12] Malibu Stacey promotional film: ``Malibu Stacy -
America's favourite 8 1/2 incher.''
[1F13] NASA Scientist says, ``People, we're in danger of
losing our funding. America isn't interested in space
exploration any more.''
Homer frequently chants, ``U-S-A! U-S-A!''
============================================================
States with Springfields (not that it matters much;
Springfield is a fictional town, so why insist there
actually (be) a real town 'Springfield'?)
============================================================
aa...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Eddie Anthony): After checking
my Rand-McNally road Atlas, here are your choices:
Colorado Florida Georgia Illinois Kentucky Louisiana
Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Jersey Ohio
Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee
Vermont Virginia
These are the only states to show a Springfield in the
atlas. Many also had a Springvale, or a Springdale, or
a Springbrook, but only those 19 had a Springfield.
t...@ima.isc.com (Andrew Tannenbaum): According to the
geographic database at
telnet martini.eecs.umich.edu 3000, the 34 following US
states/possesions (sic) have at least one Springfield:
Alabama Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia
Idaho Illinois Indiana Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts
Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri North Carolina
Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Oregon
Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas
Virginia Virgin Islands Vermont Wisconsin West Virginia
Andrew Gill: Well, it seems that the martini database is no
longer operational (and they claim that it's outdated),
so I tried the USGS mapping database, located at:
<http://mapping.usgs.gov/www/gnis/gnisform.html>. It
returned the following (121 cities in 37 states):
Alabama Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa
Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana
Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri
Mississippi North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska
New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Oregon
Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas
Virginia Virgin Islands Vermont Wisconsin West Virginia
============================================================
Misc. Observations
============================================================
TP Uschanov (usch...@cc.joensuu.fi): I just noticed that
``Bart the Murderer'' seems to indicate that the
Simpsons' home state (1) has capital punishment and (2)
is by electrocution. States that do are Alabama,
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky,
Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
[Yes, this is pretty weak, but remember that we see this
again in [4F07], [5F13] and [AABF01] --ed]
Daniel Watts (wa...@uhura.cc.rochester.edu): Last week I
drove through Scranton, PA. Now that's a town with
serious Springfield potential!
US 401 runs from approximately Warrenton, NC to Sumter, SC.
(Where I believe it ends. Does anyone know?) Canadian
401 runs along the Great Lakes from Windsor to Cornwall
(Where it diverges from the US). That is, unless it's
State route 401 (I think I'm going to cry). -- ed.
=[ Where Springfield isn't, in alphabetical order ]=========
Only direct evidence is permitted here. Calling upon
weather conditions, accents, or proximity to casinos doesn't
count. Many of the states appear here on the principle that
you don't give the state after the city if it's the state
you're currently in.
Alabama, Minnesota, New York
-- Other states which had their own essay
competitions. [8F01]
Alabama -- A store in Springfield Mall has things from
this state. [7F22]
-- One of the frat brothers comes from the
Alabama chapter. [8F10]
Alaska -- Krusty's guest brings an Alaskan timberwolf on
his show. [9F05]
-- The family's free trip to any state didn't
include Alaska. [2F08]
California -- Los Angeles is mentioned on the Michelangelo's
David coast-to-coast tour of United States.
{see note below} [7F09]
-- Homer and Joey want to go there.[2F10]
[unless it's the town in GA, KY, MD, ME, MI,
MO, NC, OH, PA, or VA]
-- California has no potato beetles. [3F02]
Florida -- The Top Hat Channel is not available in
Florida or Utah. [7F13]
-- The Winfields move there. [9F06]
-- Abe sent the family a postcard from this
state. [2F06]
[unless it's the town Florida in CO, IN,
MA, MO, NM, NY, OH, or Puerto Rico.
Hey, I cover my bases.]
Georgia -- One of the Clown College students is from this
state.[2F12]
Hawaii -- Not within driving distance of Michigan.
[7F16]
-- Horst informs SNPP drunks they'll spend six
weeks at their drying-out facility in Hawaii.
[8F09]
-- Homer wants to take the whole family there.
[9F17]
-- The family's free trip to any state didn't
include Hawaii. [2F08]
Illinois -- Springfield is not the state capital [7F01]
{dwt}
-- Chicago is mentioned on the Michelangelo's
David coast-to-coast tour of United States.
{see note below} [7F09]
-- The driver's license agency is not called
'DMV' [7F15] {dwt}
-- It's ``nowhere near'' Chicago. [3F20]
-- Someone in Chicago answers a math question.
[2F15]
Iowa -- Bart & Lisa's aptitude tests were graded in
this state. [8F15]
Louisiana -- Mt. Splashmore services the tri-county area.
[7F18]
Chief Wiggum located a hole-digger in
Shreveport [8F11]
Maryland -- Milhouse has a Krusty trading card showing
Krusty visiting relatives in Annapolis,
Maryland. [1F04]
Massachusetts-Boston is mentioned on the Michelangelo's
David coast-to-coast tour of United States.
{see note below} [7F09]
-- [3F08]: ``Go back to Massachusetts, pinko!''
[There are no cities named Massachusetts.]
Michigan -- in [7F16], they drive home, passing a sign
that says, ``You are leaving Michigan''.
-- The Box factory boxes are not assembled in
Springfield, but in Flint, Michigan. [1F11]
Mississippi - Krusty started out as a street mime in Tupelo.
[7G12]
-- Boy sales are only legal in Springfield and
Mississippi. [3G03]
Missouri -- Marge mentions the bowling museum in
``Saint Looee, Missouri'' [7F15] {dwt}
-- Abe mentions his state, [2F06]
Nevada -- Burns asks Homer if he's aware of the state's
usury laws. Nevada has none. [8F06] {sg2}
-- Nevada has no potato beetles. [3F02]
New Hampshire One of the Clown College students is from this
state.[2F12]
New Jersey -- Leon says ``I'm a bricklayer from Paterson,
New Jersey.'' [7F24]
New York -- New York is mentioned on the Michelangelo's
David coast-to-coast tour of United States.
{see note below} [7F09]
Ohio -- There are no Kwik-E-Marts in Ohio. [1F10]
Texas -- Bea says, ``I'm haunting a family in Texas''
[7F17]
-- Slant drilling is illegal in Texas [2F16]
{Brian Phillips}
-- ``No jury in the world's going to convict a
baby. Mmm...maybe Texas.'' [2F20]
[Texas is a city in AL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA,
MD, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, VT, WV]
-- One of the Clown College students is from this
state.[2F12]
Utah -- The Top Hat Channel is not available in
Florida or Utah. [7F13]
-- Bart races Milhouse to Utah. [2F11]
[There are Utahs in IL, IN, TN.]
Washington D.C.
-- An executive at the Malibu Stacey factory
calls in a favour from Washington. [1F12]
-- Springfield is represented by a Senator.
[2F11]
West Virginia
-- Lisa wails for the West Virginia coal-miner.
[7G06]
{Note: It could be said that Springfield might be in the
same state is one of the other four cities mentioned by
the artist in [7F09].}
=[ Evidence, in numerical order]============================
[title sequence] Springfield is hilly. {ls} It is small
enough to have only one elementary school, namely,
'Springfield Elementary School'.
[7G07] Springfield was founded by a bear-fighting woodsman.
{ls}
[7G13] Springfield has its own International Airport. {ls}
[7F01] The state flag has three horizontal bands, green
above white above red (maybe orange). The state
motto is 'Not just another state'. {kcc} Springfield
is north of (or uphill of) the state capital.
[7F02] Homer's social security number is 568-47-0008, and
the 568 prefix is typically issued in California.
[7F03] Springfield is far enough north to get snow (and
for the residents to have plenty of snow-related
equipment), but south enough that six inches of snow
will close the schools.
[7F05] The Springfield Topes faced teams from Shelbyville,
Salem, and Burlington. These would be towns and
small cities from the same area as Springfield.
{kcc}
[There are Shelbyvilles in AR, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO,
TN and TX.]
Capital City is (at least) 220 miles away.
[7F06] Bart attempted to jump Springfield gorge (a la Evel
Knievel) on his skateboard. Typically, gorges are
cut either by glacial action or fast rushing rivers
(see the Grand Canyon). {rd}
[7F08] Springfield is located west of the Mississippi River
since the call letters of the radio station begins
with a 'K'. {ck} There are some exceptions to the
'K/W' rule, though.
[7F09] The Springfield television station is big enough to
have affiliates.
[7F12] Artie says, ``Woe unto Shelbyville, should they
underestimate our strength in dramatic
interpretation,'' and later Marge says, ``You (knew)
the city forensics finals are tomorrow, and you kept
me here until 1am pretending to be stupid?'' What
does this mean? Possible explanations can be found
in the capsule for 7F12.
[7F15] Selma was wearing a 'Springfield U' sweatshirt.
The agency that distributes driver's licenses is
called the 'DMV'. The ZIP codes (90701 and 90702)
correspond to Artesia, California.
[7F16] The family drove to Detroit, Michigan within one
week.
[7F17] 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.
[7F18] The address on the letter is ``Marge Bouvier,
Springfield, USA.'' {rc}
[7F21] Michigan is the only state that gives dime refunds
(bear in mind that it is a very large bottle,
though)
[7F24] Springfield has a garage/shop called 'Smog Check'
or something similar. It is the background when
Apu is talking on the phone, finding out about
Michael's visit. So Springfield must be in a
state that actually enforces emissions laws. {sg}
Route 401 passes through the city. (The highway
reappears in [8F17] and [8F21].)
[8F01] Springfield is near the south-east corner of a state
that is landlocked on the South-east corner.
Moreover, that corner is common to three other state
corners, and there is only one Four Corners in the
USA, suggesting Utah. Unfortunately, the borders at
the corners are crooked, whereas in the real USA,
they're straight. And {ag} points out that that
region of Utah is VERY desolate.
The state abbreviation on the map was 'NT', {cpc}
although the address on the junk mail was 'TA'. {rm}
They flew into Dulles.
[8F02] [Raymond Chen] Lisa was watching the Carson show,
despite having a hard time staying up until
midnight (c.f. [8F05]).
Perhaps this is the Central/Mountain time zone?
[8F04] The map on which the TV reporters have marked the
lethality zones clearly shows Springfield to be a
city on the West side of the mouth of a river which
flows South. {dg2}
[8F14] Spanish conquistadors roamed the Rancho Relaxo area.
[8F17] The state Springfield is in has a lottery, for which
the odds of winning are 1 in 380,000,000. (I.e.,
choose 6 of 83.) The state also contains
Swartzwelder County.
[8F20] Sideshow Bob and Selma walk along an ocean beach.
[8F21] Otto's driver's license looks a hecukvalot like the
California driver's license. Complete with the
useless dot in the corner. (Yes, I know it's not
useless.)
[8F22] Samantha says they moved from Phoenix, but doesn't
say ``Arizona''. So they might be in Arizona...
[8F24] Krusty drives Bart & Lisa to Tijuana.
[9F01] Homer drives his car off a dock in Springfield
Harbour, only to learn the garbage barge he landed
on is headed to Garbage island.
[9F02] Lisa welcomes a boatload of immigrants in
Springfield Harbour, only to learn that they're
being deported.
[9F05] The Simpsons' house faces south.
[9F07] Springfield is in a part of the country where snow
is common.
[9F08] Captain McAllister is attacked by a shark on a house
boat.
[9F10] Marge drives to North Haverbrook, a city in the
mid-west.
Kent says Springfield's zip code is 90201. TP
Uschanov (usch...@cc.joensuu.fi) points out that
90201 is also used for Cerritos, CA, not just
Artesia, and that 90701 is Cudahy, Bell and Bell
Gardens, CA. All these towns are in Los Angeles
county.
[9F14] [HndsomPete] Homer's license has his zip code as
49007. This is the zip code for Kalamazoo, MI.
[9F18] The following states have ``rattlesnake roundups'':
TX KS PA OK AL GA FL [Does anyone have a full list?]
[9F20] Springfield is 648 miles from Mexico City.
There are Brockways in: CA, CT, MD, MI, MT, NY, OH,
OR, PA. There are no Ogdenviles or North
Haverbrooks, though.
[1F06] Homer, Ned, Bart and Todd drift towards an offshore
oil rig. This oil rig is shown on Krusty Burger fun
map to be near NY.
[1F08] Springfield has a boardwalk.
[1F17] In this ep, we saw that OFF's neighbourhood and
Martin's have fenced-in backyards without alleys,
endemic to the southern California suburbs. {th}
[1F18] Springfield is near an ocean.
[2F01] The family drove to Itchy & Scratchy Land.
[2F02] In this episode, Springfield Prison appears to be
on an island that is similar to Alcatraz Island.
Springfield is within driving distant of Archie's
Riverdale.
[2F04] Springfield has a lighthouse commanded by Captain
McAllister.
[2F07] Abe shows Homer the place where he grew up. Sources
place Homer's birthplace in North Carolina, so
Springfield could be in NC. {bw}
[2F08] Homer search for a new watering hole leads him to
the Cheers Bar -- which is in Boston, Massachusetts.
The airplane that Homer and Marge were in crashes
into the ocean on take off.
The border states already have killer bees.{th}
[Compare to [2F19]]
[2F10] They go to the beach.
[2F13] The plane trip took 22 hours (minus time
difference). {ddg} (FYI, a trip (direct) from LA to
Sydney takes 14 hours. {jac} [and Philly to Seattle
takes 12 hours --ed])
[2F15] [Aaron Varhola]: The airport they fly into is the
National Airport in Washington.
[2F16] ``[Springfield is] not in one of the states which
once belonged to Mexico, since in those states, the
mineral rights belong to the state.''{th}
``[Grampa's earthquake preparedness] suggests that
Springfield is along the Pacific Rim, or perhaps in
southeastern Missouri.''{th}
[2F19] ``Fort Springfield was the site of a Civil War
battle, suggesting it's in the southeast quadrant of
the U.S.''{th}
``...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.''{th}
``killer have arrived in Springfield, suggesting its
in one of the states which borders Mexico.''{th}
[Compare to [2F08]]
[2F21] Medfly spraying is done only in California.{th}
[2F22] ``Lemons only grow in the southern parts of the
U.S., and overland settlers generally came from the
east.''{th}
Springfield borders Shelbyville.
[2F31] Jay Sherman takes a plane from New York City to
Springfield.
[2F32] ``...The hospital looks like the right size for a
city of about 50,000; or perhaps a smaller city with
a large tributary area.''{th}
[3F02] According to:
<http://everest.ento.vt.edu/~idlab/vegpests/vegfs/cpb.html>,
the Colorado potato beetle is not in California or
Nevada, and mainly concentrates on the eastern
portion of the US.
[3F04] Norman Vincent Peale's birthplace was destroyed. He
was born in Bowersville, Ohio.{th}
[Greg R Hasty] The Simpsons go to Pennsylvania.
[3F05] Homer's state has daylight savings time. Some
mountain zone states do not. (Anyone know which
ones?)
[3F06] [Dave Kathman] ``Walt Whitman is buried in Harleigh
Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey...''
[Dominik Halas] ``The bird that lands on Homer's
head is an American White Pelican; they are
generally not found east and north of the
Mississippi River valley and Florida.''
[3F07] ``The Port Authority...is a significant agency only
in New York City-Northeastern New Jersey.''{th}
``Mrs. Van Houten said Mechanicsburg without naming
a state, suggesting that it's the same state that
Springfield is in, probably Pennsylvania.''{th}
[There's a Mechanicsburg in IL, IN, MS, OH, PA, and
WV. But Mechanicsburg, PA is probably popular
enough not to need the state.]
[3F08] Springfield has alkali flats and badlands.
[3F08] George Bush lived in the following states:
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, Virginia,
Maine. [Benjamin Robinson]
You might be able to add the following:
NJ (Princeton), DC (not a state, but might count),
NY (longshot. Bush lived in a suburb of New York
City and met Barbara there.)
[3F10] ``[Springfield] appears to be in one of the states
where dress codes are legal.''{th}
[3F11] ``Japanese internment camps were almost all in
California.''{th}
Lisa infers that Ogdenville has a sales tax.
[But it's also at least 341 miles from Springfield.
That's far enough to be out of state. --ed]
[3F13] [Mark Richey] ``The 1796 founding date would seem to
put it somewhere between the Appalachian Mountains
and the Louisiana territory, probably in the
Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana 0region. However, as far as I
know, they didn't have buffalo that far east.''
Springfield was created before the Louisiana
purchase.{jh}
[Mark Richey]: Buffalo were mostly on the plains,
although it's too wooded to be there.
Settlers mistook a phrase in the bible and headed
west from Maryland.
Kearney talks about the tall ships as being unusual.
From my (limited) experience, most port towns have
tall ships fairly frequently.
There's a Stenchburg(?) in the state. (There's no
Stenchburg, but there's a Stinking Bay, AR and a
Stinking Creek, TN)
[3F15] Route 18 is mentioned.
[3F17] [Jose Lafaurie] Springfield appears to be on Pacific
Daylight time (or Mountain Standard).
``Bart and the kids started their trip in a state
with a lot of cornfields and prairies, which
indicates a Midwestern state.''{jh}
``If they visited Branson, MO, along the way,
Springfield's state probably wouldn't be east of the
Mississippi since they took an easterly (or
southerly, at some point) route.''{jh}
[3F20] Springfield does not appear to be in a coastal
state when Lisa points to it.{jh}
[3F21] Springfield is no less than 30 mi from Capitol City.
[3F22] [Aaron Varhola] ``We can also assume OFF didn't go
through Ohio or South Carolina, the fireworks
capitals of America, on their trip.''
[I'm not sure about South Carolina, but in Ohio, it
is illegal for Ohio residents to purchase fireworks
(you also can't transport them across state lines),
so ALL fireworks would be illegal.]
[3F23] 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.
[3F24] [Dale G. Abersold]: Springfield slopes toward the
west, where there is a harbor, perhaps implying the
west coast?
There are Cypress Creeks in: FL, LA, MD, NC, SC, TX.
[3G01] Springfield is in the nations heartland.
[3G03] According to the July 10, 1998 News of the Weird
(Copyright 1998 by Universal Press Syndicate), the
following states have engaged in child sales:
MD, AZ, FL
[4F03] Springfield is in a state founded by circus
freaks. {hl}
[4F05] The conductor doesn't initially mention the state
that Springfield is in, so presumably it's in the
same state as the Harvard-Yale game. Larry offers
``local cactus.''
[4F06] [Dominik Halas] Lisa said she wanted to clean an
otter at the beach; sea otters are only found on the
west coast, indicating that Baby Seal Beach is on
the west coast, and thus Springfield, in this
episode, is near the west coast.
[4F07] Hurricanes are most likely to strike the east coast,
typically beween NC and FL. {bjr}
Ned talks about people ``back east.''
[4F08] [Dale G. Abersold] Presumably not in Oklahoma or New
York (both states referred to).
[4F10] [Dale G. Abersold] Mt. Useful resembles many of the
larger moutains in the Pacific Northwest.
[4F11] Lupe Velez (who died in Los Angeles) bought her
toilet in Springfield.
[4F14] If OFF's house does indeed face south, the
Springfield river is to the East.
[4F15] Jake Schultz notes that there are many references to
Massachusetts and Boston in this episode.
[4F16] Bart's area code may be one of the following:
112 {jh}, 503 {db}, 513, 518, 613, 618
[4F17] The following states have 5 cent refunds:
CT, IA, ME, MA, NY, OR, and VT{av}
[Mike Rumerman] Burns catches some whales in his
omni-net.
[4F18] [Marc Wasserman] The Tokyo plant is open when the
library is open, suggesting that there is a
difference of less than 14 hours if the library is
open 8-5.
[4F21] [Joseph J. Barder] ``...Springfield's either in
California or a state nearby. Otherwise, why would
they believe they're going to Disneyland by
car...?''
=[ Things in Springfield ]==================================
Springfield Elementary School [title sequence]
Springfield Nuclear Power Plant [title sequence]
Springfield State Prison [title sequence]
Springfield Tire Yard [title sequence]
Springfield Arts [7G06]
Springfield Museum of Natural History [7G06,7F19]
First Church of Springfield [7G07]
Springfield Downs [7G08]
Springfield Primate Institute [7G09]
Springfield Mall [7G11,8F12,8F14]
Springfield International Airport [7G13]
Springfield Kozy Kourt Motel [7F05]
Springfield Savings [7F05]
Springfield War Memorial Stadium [7F05,8F08]
home of the Springfield Isotopes (minor league baseball)
Springfield Center for the Performing Arts[7F06]
Springfield General Hospital [7F06,9F09,1F02]
Springfield Gorge [7F06,9F12]
Springfield Speedway [7F06]
Springfield Plasma Center [7F07]
Springfield Retirement Home (Castle) [7F07]
Springfield High School [7F12,9F16]
Springfield Department of Motor Vehicles[7F15,8F21]
Springfield Revolving Restaurant [7F15]
Springfield Tower [7F15]
Springfield University [7F15,2F06]
Springfield Mystery Spot [7F17,8F13]
Springfield Art Museum (Burns Wing) [7F18]
Springfield Community College [7F18]
Springfield Museum [7F19,1F09]
Springfield Post Office [7F22]
(The painting in the Springfield Post Office suggests
that the post office has been around since at least
the Depression.)
Springfield Collection Agency [7F23]
Michael Jackson Expressway [7F24,8F17]
Springfield National Forest [8F01]
Veterans of Popular Wars building [8F01]
Springfield County Courthouse [8F03]
(maybe not in Springfield)
Springfield Armory [8F02,2F11]
Old Springfield Library [8F05,8F15]
Springfield Lower East Side [8F05]
Olde Springfield Towne [8F10,9F18]
Mount Springfield [8F12]
Springfield Public Library [8F12]
Fort Springfield [8F13,9F02]
Springfield Heights [8F13]
Springfield Memorial Stadium [8F13]
Springfield Trade Center [8F13]
The Springfield Trade Center had the base of the World
Trade Center and the top of the Empire State Building
(or was it the Chrysler Building?) which proves once
and for all that Springfield is New York City... {sg}
Springfield Animal Hospital [8F17]
Springfield Dog Pound [8F17]
Springfield River [8F17]
Springfield Barber College [8F17,9F03]
Springfield Googolplex Theatres [8F19,8F22]
Springfield Coliseum (hockey rink) [8F21]
Springfield Tire Yard [8F21]
Springfield Civic Center [8F23,9F16]
Springfield Harbor [9F01,9F19]
Springfield Wax Museum [9F02]
Springfield's forbidding Widow's Peak [9F07]
Springfield Medical Library [9F09]
Springfield Escalator to Nowhere {jw} [9F10]
Popsicle Stick Skyscraper {jw} [9F10]
Springfield Sperm Bank [9F11]
Springfield-X theatre [9F13]
Springfield Grapplarium [9F15]
Springfield Hardware [9F17]
Christian fundamentalist school {jw} [9F18]
Springfield Women's Prison [9F20]
Springfield A&M University {jw} [1F02]
Springfield College [1F02]
Springfield Men's Shelter [1F05]
Springfield Lake [1F14]
Springfield Arboretum [1F15]
Springfield Tar Pits [1F15]
Springfield Palace Hotel [1F19]
Springfield Community Center [2F02]
Springfield Hall of Records [2F02,2F12]
Springfield Skating Rink [2F05]
Springfield Youth Center [2F05]
Springfield Meadow [2F15]
That's a lot of stuff for a small suburban town to have...
Things that really exist(!):
It is well-known that much of Springfield and The Simpsons
can be linked to various parts of Portland, OR.
Haynes Lee has a good page on this:
<http://www.snpp.com/guides/whoiswho.html#portland>
Simpson Desert, NT, Australia {hl}
Samuel L. Simpson Elementary School CA {ddg}
(Located in San Bernadino County)
(c/o the USGS mapping server[see above])
Springfield City Hall GA
Springfield Downs GA
Springfield Terrace School GA
Springfield Regional Airport MO
Capitol City CO
Springfield Elementary School AZ, GA, IN, LA, PA, SC
(the city of) Evergreen Terrace WA
Springfield Valley WV [7F06]
Springfield Armory MA [8F02,2F11]
Springfield (Municipal?) Airport CO [8F15]
Springfield Boys Camp MA [8F24]
Springfield Gardens NY [9F11]
Springfield Lake PA [1F14]
Springfield Bird Haven ID [2F01]
Springfield Four Corners NY [2F01]
Springfield Island SC [2F11]
Springfield Lookout Tower AL [2F19,4F10]
Springfield Falls PA [3F03]
Storytown NY [3F03]
Springfield Estates VA [3F09]
Springfield Country Club MA [3F11]
Springfield Water Works Intake Dam MA [4F14]
Springfield Reservoir Dam VT [4F14]
According to <http://www.fcc.gov/search/>, some of the radio
stations on The Simpsons do exist (Did I miss any?):
Call Episode Frequency City
---- ------- --------- ------------------
KBBL 1350 AM CABOT, AR
WKOMA [8F14] --------------NONE--------------
KOMA [8F14] 1520 AM OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
KOMA [8F14] 92.5 FM OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
WOMA [8F14] --------------NONE--------------
KUDD [8F19] --------------NONE--------------
KZMB [9F04] --------------NONE--------------
KNBO [9F22] 1530 AM NEW BOSTON, TX
KMEX [2F20] 34 (TV) LOS ANGELES, CA
KJAZZ [2F32] --------------NONE--------------
KJAZ [2F32] 1340 AM OROVILLE, CA
KJZZ [2F32] 91.5 FM PHOENIX, AZ
KJZZ [2F32] 14 (TV) SALT LAKE CITY, UT
KFSL [3F21] --------------NONE--------------
KZOG [4F04] --------------NONE--------------
[Thanks to Pat Maher for KMEX and Solon Boomer-Jenks for
KJZZ.]
Things in nearby towns:
Shelbyville Orphanage [7F16]
Mount Splashmore [7F18]
New Bedlam Rest Home for the Emotionally
Interesting [7F24]
Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant [8F04]
Swartzwelder County [8F17]
Spittle County [8F19]
Duff Gardens [9F11]
North Haverbrook Elementary [1F11]
Shelbyville Elementary [1F11]
Spittle County Elementary [1F11]
According to www.findagrave.com, the following people are
not buried in Springfield, but rather:
[7F04] Sacajawea--Sitting Bull Monument, Mobridge, SD(?)
[7F04] [John] Garfield--Hastings on the Hudson, NY
[7F04] [James] Garfield--Cleveland, OH
[7F04] Geronimo--Apache Cemetery, Fort Sill, OK
[7F04] Sitting Bull--Sitting Bull Monument, Mobridge, SD
[7F04] Pocohontas--Gravesend, UK
[8F02] Jim Morrison--Paris, France
[8F02] Walt Disney--Glendale, CA
[9F04] Elvis--Memphis,TN
[9F04] R. Buckminster Fuller--Cambridge,MA
[9F04] Shakespeare--Stratford-on-avon
[9F04] Einstein--cremated;ashes scattered in a river in NJ
[9F04] John Smith, 1886--Brooklyn, New York
[9F04] George Washington--Mt. Vernon,VA
[2F02] Buddy Holly--Lubbock, TX
[2F02] Ritchie Valens--Mission Hills, CA
[2F02] J.P. ``Big Bopper'' Richardson, Jr.--Beaumont, TX
Most of the names on this list came from the
Dearly Departed on The Simpsons list.
CONTRIBUTORS
cpc - Chuck Collins (c...@cpc.Eng.Sun.COM)
kcc - Ken Cox (k...@wucs1.wustl.edu)
rc - Ron Carter (rca...@nyx.cs.du.edu)
dgb - Dmitri G. Brengauz (dbr...@freenet.scri.fsu.edu)
jac - James A. Cherry
ddg - Don Del Grande
rd - Richard Dale (richar...@sound.com)
ag - Andrew Gerber (ger...@solbourne.com)
sg - Sean Graves (se...@cs.tamu.edu)
sg2- Sarang Gupta (sgu...@coral.cs.unm.edu)
jh - Jason Hancock
dh2- David Hyatt (dhy...@leland.Stanford.EDU)
th - Tony Hill (tony...@msbbs.mn.org)
ck - Chris Krieg (ch...@pterodactyl.cis.ohio-state.edu)
hl - Haynes Lee
rm - Rich McGee (mc...@nic.csu.net)
ls - Lorenzo Sadun (sa...@acf9.nyu.edu)
dwt - David Tamkin
bw - Breck Witte (wi...@hawthorne.cul.columbia.edu)
jw - Jonathan Whatley (Jonathan...@galaxy.com)
Haynes Lee
>Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield?
>
>Version 2.9
There are several Springfield references that pre-date The Simpsons.
Springfield was the anytown in Robert Young's "Father Knows Best"
(1954-1963). Springfield is again mentioned in the 1986 movie "Peggy
Sue Got Married" (as with the more recent movie "Pleasantville"). A
wagon train to Springfield was also mentioned in Gunsmoke episode
#9.16 which aired 1/18/1964 (making Springfield west of Kansas).
JawaGuy500
no, Springfield's over here!" just then, Bart stepped in front of the map.
Well I could see Washington, Oregon, Calif., and East US...
Hope this helps.....
Tazer
Excuse me for wakin' up, but on 4 Jan 1999 01:16:15 GMT
it would HAVE to be near the west coast, they have a DESERT for
cryin' out loud!
!)
Tazer
"Never trust anything that bleeds for 4 days and doesnt die." -Spider Jerusalem
Michael Griffin
Simpson Tide, Homer steers the nuclear submarine according to the direction
he thinks is right, and we see a map of the west coast of America, and he
goes in the wrong direction and ends up in Russian waters. Not only is
Springfield in the west but it is also on the coastline (if the episode is
to be believed).
Michael
Tazer wrote in message <3697d9a6...@news.escape.com>...
Fester
--
-----------------------
---==Fester==---
"If you try to fail, and you succeed, what have you done?" -Unknown
Email at: mc...@home.com
AOL IM: Fester2133
Webmaster of: http://www.mchenryinc.com/
Personal Page: http://24.3.98.206/
====================================================
Michael Griffin <mic...@gamesbase.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:77adkg$n7b$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
Jeremy Lillie
pretty much eliminated every possible location if one was to compend the data
from the whole Simpson Cannon. The do seem to exclude the one in Missouri the
most though.
Darrel Jones
Fester wrote in message ...
>But what about it being the site of a Civil War battle?
>
Yes, I've always thought Springfield was somewhere on or near the East
Coast.
Todd Emerson
into Russian waters fairly quickly, which would put them on the west
coast. On the other hand, you have more fingers.
Phooey on geography!
tpe
"I sleep in a drawer!"
Ralph Henrichs
more than one wife just like tonight's episode!
Randall Wright
> IMO the writers locate Springfield wherever needed for that script, and have
> pretty much eliminated every possible location if one was to compend the data
> from the whole Simpson Cannon. The do seem to exclude the one in Missouri the
> most though.
>
It's easy for them to set it anywhere because it's really a movie set in
Hollywood--the same one that was used for The Flintstones only with new
paint.
MagmaGirl
>Coast.
Well, it can't be anywhere New York-related, because they don't sell Mr. Pibb
here. Unless CBG shipped it from Virginia or South Carolina or thereabouts.
Mag
"If you think back, and replay your year, if it doesn't bring you tears of
either joy or sadness, consider the year wasted." -- John Cage, "Ally McBeal"
"Problem is just a bleak word for challenge." -- Richard Fish, "Ally McBeal"
Courtney Janine Konopacky
Portland, took the liberty of naming many characters on the show after
streets in Portland.... Flanders, Lovejoy, etc...
Also, the Springfield/Shelbeyville rivalry is remarkably similar to that
of Eugene and Springfield here.
But then again, there are signs that point otherwise, such as the time
that Homer and Mr Burns sailed to Cuba...
But I think Oregon is a good bet :)
Curtis Gibby
Ralph Henrichs <ra...@cts1.internetwis.com> wrote in message
news:369969...@cts1.internetwis.com...
>Maybe it's in Utah, that way it's close to Las Vegas and legal to have
>more than one wife just like tonight's episode!
There is so much wrong with that logic it's not even funny! In the first
place, polygamy has been illegal in Utah for like 100 years, despite all the
ignorant people out there who believe otherwise. Second, we know
Springfield isn't in Utah because Bart says "Race you to Utah Milhouse" and
because Springfield has an ad in the Hollywood director's location magazine
next to the Utah ad.
Personally I believe that the writers do whatever the frick they like with
the location.
Curtis
-------------------------
"Franklin! You are no longer the girliest cadet at this school."
"Oh, we'll see about that!"
MagmaGirl
>the location.
And we only notice it because we keep trying to analyze where it is! I'm sure
the writers lurk in newsgroups to see what fans say about the show.
TheCentralSc...@pobox.com
<ra...@cts1.internetwis.com> wrote:
>Maybe it's in Utah, that way it's close to Las Vegas and legal to have
>more than one wife just like tonight's episode!
Sure. I've always loved those utah offshore oilwells and the fact that
the capitol of utah is 'capitol city'.
Newsflash: polagamay has been illegal in utah for at least a hundred
years.
Courtney Janine Konopacky
the law is not enforced.... Havent you been watching your Jerry Springer??
Polygamy still exists in Utah, it just is swept under the rug by law
enforcement....
But I still think Sprinfield is in Oregon :)
--
* * * * * * *
Its in every one of us to be wise
Find your heart open up both your eyes
We can all know everything without ever knowing why
Its in every one of us by and by
Todd Emerson
Then why do they have a Colonial Springfield town? And a Civil War
(sorry, "War Between the States!") reenactment battlefield? And they're
within driving distance of both Branson, MO and Knoxville, TN? And
don't forget Hank Hill's line in the Pee-Wee football episode: "We drove
2,000 miles for THIS?"
Springfield is in the same state that "Green Acres", "Benson", and "The
Dukes of Hazzard" all took place in! That mysterious 51st state that
can seemingly float all around the country. Which reminds me, whatever
happened to Gov. Mary Bailey?
tpe
"If you arrest Marge Simpson, I can kiss the chick vote goodbye!"
John
"If you arrest Marge Simpson, I can kiss the chick vote goodbye!"
Vote Quimby
Terry Pulver
>
> Springfield is in the same state that "Green Acres", "Benson", and "The
> Dukes of Hazzard" all took place in! That mysterious 51st state that
> can seemingly float all around the country. Which reminds me, whatever
> happened to Gov. Mary Bailey?
state is Birch Barlow, remember?
--
Adam Pulver-- "Cartoons Have Writers??"
S1.2 LIS++/+++ MAG+ MIL++*@ MTN*
SMI# TEE@ f+++ n+/++ w $+ 2F15 M17
Visit Simpson Fanscript Central at:
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/5816/
Todd Emerson
When did this happen?!?
<<That 51st state is Birch Barlow, remember?>>
He's also the fourth branch of government. Is he still on KBBL?
SaraJNES
years and I'm still convinced that's where they live.
Todd Emerson
that for years and I'm still convinced that's where they live. >>
Then how come all their radio and tv stations start with a "K"?
Illinois is east of the Mississippi river, which means all those
stations should start with a "W".
Never mind the fact that the city is on one of the oceans, close to
Russian waters...
tpe
"Is a poopdeck what I think it is?"
Joey Jo-Jo AKA Gary
illinois. In Much Apu About Nothing, Homer points on a map to where he
thinks Springfeild is. He points at illinois. Lisa comes in and tells him it
is no where *near* there. She then proceeds to point to the Simpsons
Springfeild, however, Barts head is in the way so we don't see. So much for
that theory. As has been said on the show, it is in the state of NT, which
is not a real state. I don't know why anyone is still asking. Springfeild is
in the state of NT in the US. End story.
--
Joey Joe Joe Jr. AKA Gary
Garo...@hotmail.com (secondary email)
Visit my web page @ www.come.to\spyland
Todd Emerson wrote in message
<17111-36A...@newsd-253.iap.bryant.webtv.net>...
Mark Skrbich
®Mark
"Without deviation from the norm there can be no progress"
Assassin
SaraJNES wrote:
> I still think the Simpsons live in Springfield, Illinois. I thought that for
> years and I'm still convinced that's where they live.
The only problem is that there is a Springfield in almost every state. Just
to let ya know. :)
PJ
Steve Sutton
Well, if you go to Springfield, IL, and manage to find 742 Evergreen
Terrace, knock on the door and see who answers. :)
Steve Sutton
Springfield, Georgia
(yes, really)
Roch1596
matching geographical entities. And he came up with the conclusion that
springfield was in Missouri, because they have a Shelbyville next door and a
city named Capitol City...just a thought I dont know if its true or not.
Ned Flanders
Ned
Courtney Janine Konopacky
Nah.... it's Oregon I tell ya. First, there is a striking similarity
between Springfield/Shelbyville and Sprinfield/Eugene.... Second, Groenig
grew up in Portland and many characters in the show are named after
streets and places in Portland. There is also a Skinner's butte in
Eugene... and the Pioneer Father statue at the U of Oregon looks
suprisingly like the one of Jebadiah Springfield.
And while Springfield Ore. doesnt have a nuclear power plant, the coal
plant in town was the major employer in the town for years...
Aside for some oddities, I think signs point to Oregon :)
Roch1596 (roch...@aol.com) wrote:
: My sisters boyfriend, from lack of anything else to do, scoured the US for
: matching geographical entities. And he came up with the conclusion that
: springfield was in Missouri, because they have a Shelbyville next door and a
: city named Capitol City...just a thought I dont know if its true or not.
--
Todd Emerson
Then why do they have a Colonial Springfield town? And a Civil War
reenactment site?
Steve Sutton
>reenactment site?
I think Springfield is just Anytown, USA. There's no specific state
or geographical location for it (i.e., it has deserts, mountains,
beaches, swamps, etc.) and trying to pin down its location is fun, but
it can never be done. Heck, I live in a Springfield that, with a
little imagination, fits the bill. There's a nuclear power plant not
far away, the terrain is hilly, and...um...okay, make that a lot of
imagination. :)
TheCentralSc...@pobox.com
<see...@gladstone.uoregon.edu> wrote:
>
>Nah.... it's Oregon I tell ya. First, there is a striking similarity
>between Springfield/Shelbyville and Sprinfield/Eugene.... Second, Groenig
>grew up in Portland and many characters in the show are named after
>streets and places in Portland. There is also a Skinner's butte in
>Eugene... and the Pioneer Father statue at the U of Oregon looks
>suprisingly like the one of Jebadiah Springfield.
>And while Springfield Ore. doesnt have a nuclear power plant, the coal
>plant in town was the major employer in the town for years...
>
I always liked how oregon's state abreviation is NT and how their capital
is 'capital city'. I also like that place where five states intersect.
How's the duff beer in oregon?
Get over it: springfield is fictional. (tm)
CoryanderX
I agree. If the writer needs a gorge, then it's near a gorge. If the writer
needs banana trees, then it's near banana trees.
Sunshine
It's not peace I want, not mere
contentment. It's boundless joy
and ecstasy for me.
-Kugell
The world is full of magical
things, patiently waiting for
our wits to grow sharper.
-Eden Phillpotts
Rock me, Dr. Zaius!