Springfield (The Simpsons)

Springfield

City motto	"A Noble Spirit Embiggens the Smallest Man", "Corruptus in Extremis"
Founded	Unknown; before 1649
Incorporated	1796
File:Springfield space.jpg Detailed map of Springfield:
Founder	Jebediah Springfield
Mayor	Diamond Joe Quimby (D)
Congressional Representatives	Bob Arnold (expelled), Horace Wilcox (R) (deceased), Herschel Schmoikel Krustofski (R)
Area Codes	636 & 939
Main Industries	Nuclear Power, heavy manufacturing, Duff Beer, Retail, boxes, fudge, fireworks, crackers, Animated Media, and Peanuts.

Springfield is the fictional city in which the TV series The Simpsons is set. It is located near Shelbyville and Capitol City in an unnamed state. It has a population of 30,720 and the elevation is 1,582 feet.

Founded in 1796 by Jebediah Springfield, Springfield seems to be a small city rather than a megalopolis. Its features include one nuclear power plant; a vaguely Protestant Church; two elementary schools (Springfield Elementary School and West Springfield Elementary School); Springfield Preparatory School; Springfield University; Springfield A&M; Springfield Heights Institute of Technology; several museums; a 'Knowledgeum'; a minor league baseball stadium; an airport; an ocean harbor and Squid Port; a waterfront casino; a downtown district; Springfield Gorge; several massive mountains, including the 'Murderhorn'; a dog track (Springfield Downs); a large tire yard (which has been on fire for well over 35 years); a ghetto; a Russian district; its own Little Italy, Greek Town, and Little Bangkok District; an entirely Jewish neighborhood; Moe's, a bar run by Moe Szyslak; many interesting restaurants, including 'The Texas Cheesecake Depository', 'The Frying Dutchman' and 'Professor P. J. Cornucopia’s Fantastic Foodmagorium and Great American Steakery'; and Barney's Bowl-A-Rama, a bowling alley run by Barney Gumble's uncle.

Springfield's nearest neighboring town is Shelbyville. There is a strong rivalry between the towns, dating back to the rivalry that existed between their founders -- Jebediah Springfield and Shelbyville Manhattan. Manhattan wanted to found a city where men were free to marry their cousins, but Springfield refused to allow it, so Shelbyville broke away with his supporters and founded a rival town. (The story of the dispute between Jebediah Springfield and Shelbyville Manhattan contains faint references to the historical stories of the deal between Asa Lovejoy and William Overton to file a land claim, and the dispute between Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove over the name of Portland, Oregon.).

History and economy

Colonial Era

File:The Simpsons-Jebediah Springfield.png

Jebediah Springfield, founder.

Springfield was founded in 1796 by Maryland settlers who were trying to find a course to New Sodom after misinterpreting a passage in the Bible. In its early days, the city was the target of many Native American raids, and to this day many forts and trading posts remain (including Fort Springfield and Fort Sensible). It was also the site of at least two battles during the American Civil War.

The founder of Springfield was the pioneer Jebediah Springfield, widely celebrated in the town as a brave and patriotic American hero. He famously tamed a wild buffalo and killed a bear with his bare hands, and his deeds are immortalized in a bronze statue in front of the city hall. (Revisionist historians have since determined that the bear actually killed Springfield, but this has been deemed to be mean-spirited 'fact-mongering'). The town motto, "a noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" is attributed to the cromulent Jebediah.

Lisa Simpson once discovered that 'Jebediah Springfield' was actually just the alias of Hans Sprungfeld, a murderous pirate and enemy of George Washington (Lisa the Iconoclast). Amongst other things, his 'taming' of the wild buffalo is a lie: he actually merely shot a tame buffalo; he also had an actual tongue made of silver, but history has taken this to mean that he was a talented orator. Lisa eventually decided that the myth of Springfield should be preserved and did not reveal her findings. Horace Hurlbut, the local antiquarian, supported her decision, if only because it meant that Jebediah's silver tongue could remain a fetching cowboy model in his museum.

History from Colonial Era to Mid-Twentieth Century

In the mid-20th century, the city reached the pinnacle of its success when it became the home of a factory producing Aquacars, a car which could be driven in water like a boat. One-half of the US was said to wear Springfield galoshes. At this point, the city was truly 'On the GROW' (look out, Utica!) and its streets were (literally) paved with gold. But, unfortunately, the economy collapsed when it was discovered that the Aquacar was prone to spontaneous explosion after 600 miles and/or knots. The town never really recovered from this tragedy (the gold was reportedly shipped to the Sultan of Brunei to encase one of his many animal herds)

Present Day

Despite the shutdown of the Aquacar factory, some heavy manufacturing remains in the town, including several factories producing and processing foodstuffs: 'Ah! Fudge' chocolate; 'Southern Cracker' and 'Allied Biscuit' snacks; and peanuts, though this last industry has been ransacked at least once by a hungry elephant. Duff Beer employs many local people, though its competitor, Fudd, has some market-share, too. Fireworks are assembled in Springfield, and millions of boxes are produced (though these are finished in Flint, Michigan). At one point, there was a major 'Spirograph' factory in the town, but this has closed down. There was also a pillow factory in town, but it was demolished, with "Sideshow" Luke Perry inside. Springfield is also the proud home of a (flaming) steel mill. The town's largest employer is probably the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. At some point after World War II the U.S. government designated Springfield as an NWB or Nuclear Whipping-Boy. This means that in the event of a nuclear war, all nations allied with the United States will bombard Springfield in order to calibrate their weapons (Worst Episode Ever).

Springfield was nearly chosen as the host for the Summer Olympic Games, but Bart's antics angered representatives from the IOC. It was also nearly awarded an NFL franchise team, but Abraham Simpson attacked the commissioner - mistaking him for a burglar - while he was trying to use the Simpsons' phone.

In Bart-Mangled Banner, Bart accidentally moons the U.S. flag, and the Simpsons appear on a talk show to explain the matter. However, the show's host makes it appear that Springfield hates America. When the rest of the U.S. reciprocates this loathing, Mayor Quimby changes the name of Springfield to "Liberty-Ville". An enormous patriotic craze ensues, wherein all items are priced at $17.76, even houses.

Springfield has been moved once after Homer's refusal, as the city's [[Trash of the Titans|Sanitation Commissioner, to take out garbage and as a result, the citizens did too. The original spot of the city has been turned into a dump, and thereforth had to be moved, five miles down the road.

Geography and climate

Geography

Springfield's geography includes a mountain range, gorges, giant redwood trees, a desert, a forest, lakes, rivers, valleys, plains, alkalai flats and a volcano. It is located on the coast of a large body of water, possibly an ocean, and has exactly one bridge out of town. It has also been stated that "West Springfield" is three times the size of Texas, and looks exactly like Texas in shape.

Major geographic features include Springfield Gorge, Springfield National Forest, Mt. Springfield, Springfield Harbor, the Springfield Badlands or 'Alkali Flats', the Murderhorn (a homage to the Matterhorn), Death Mountain (an evil hideaway owned by Doctor Colussus), Springfield Glacier, Widow's Peak, and Mt. Carlmore.

Cityscape

File:Simpbartoffice.jpg

Springfield with skyscrapers downtown, as seen in The Simpsons Hit & Run.

The city is divided into a number of districts, including Skid Row, the Lower East Side (a Jewish district), Chinatown, Springfield Heights, 'Bum Town', East Springfield, Recluse Ranch Estates, Junkieville, Pressboard Estates, South Street Squidport, Little Newark, Crackton, a Russian district, West Springfield, Tibet Town, Greek Town, Little Italy, and a gay district. For a brief period, Springfield divided itself into two cities, Olde Springfield and New Springfield, on the basis of an area code division and an encircling wall. Wealthy Olde Springfield, with Mayor Quimby, anchorman Kent Brockman, and bullies such as Nelson Muntz, was separated from the rest of Springfield by a wall of refuse that was erected by poor New Springfield. Mayor Quimby maintained control of Olde Springfield while Homer Simpson ran New Springfield. The cities were later re-united during a wall-shattering concert by The Who.

The city's Main Street is in a pitiful state of disrepair, owing to citizens driving along it while carrying excessively heavy loads and leaving snow chains on their tires after the snow has melted. (Homer Simpson has been spotted driving along it with a massive grand piano strapped to the roof of his car as his chain-covered tires gouged the road, yelling "look at that pavement fly!" and giggling like a school-girl.) Some of the potholes have become so wide that entire cars and trucks can (and have) fallen into them, including a popcorn truck that exploded on impact and filled the pothole with a delicious, buttery snack.

Towns near Springfield (within driving distance or close enough to be included in local news) include North Haverbrook, Shelbyville, Ogdenville, Brockway and Cranford. Some of these apparently hold 'fairs' from time to time, at which it might be possible to win a dog.

In many episodes, the cityscape is changed. Skyline shots of the city vary from episode to episode. Some will have towering skyscrapers downtown, other times it will consist just of tiny stores. The cityscape and skyline change frequently in any Simpsons video games, however are never regarded as the normal cityscape. Buildings frequently change position in each episode.

Climate

Springfield is evidently located in an area that receives plenty of rain, as well as heavy snow. Most of the time however, the skies are blue and mostly sunny. Springfield has also been prone to severe heat waves.

Springfield is close to a major body of water that is open to the ocean, and close to a major mountain range. It is also situated on a major river, which has cut a deep gorge. It has been subject to just about every sort of natural disaster over the years, including avalanches, earthquakes, acid rain, floods, hurricanes, lightning strikes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and a (surprisingly feeble) meteor impact. The Simpsons have coped with these and survived them all, even though Homer has often been injured by them (most especially when he has been the cause of them).

Pollution

According to the (non-canon) Are We There Yet? Guide to Springfield, visitors from elsewhere are advised to constantly wear radiation suits and carry Geiger counters, since the city is perhaps the most radioactive in the U.S. This is because the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant was built during an incredibly lax period for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the plant's nuclear core was surrounded not by several layers of protective concrete, lead and graphite but by ordinary plaster and a horseshoe hanging from a nail.

Plant management apparently gives employees benefits for quietly and cleverly disposing of nuclear waste; in some episodes, barrels of waste have been seen in the Simpsons' basement. Springfield is also home to the state's largest tire fire, which has been continuously burning for approximately 40 years (as of 2006), which does nothing to improve the air quality.

At one point, Homer was elected to head the city's waste disposal. After spending the entire yearly budget in only the first month of office (almost entirely caused by his purchase of brand new garbage trucks for the city), the town was forced to take in the garbage of other cities in order to make enough money to pay the city's trash collectors. Eventually the caves that were storing the collected trash overflowed throughout the city, causing the population and all of the town's buildings to lift stakes and move to yet another undisclosed location, the 'new' Springfield.

People and culture

The geographic location of Springfield is never stated, but Springfield is generally considered to depict, in a lampooning manner, "bread-and-butter" Middle America. It is often portrayed as a small town of limited cultural value, despite several seemingly major attractions (see Arts and Entertainment, below). Springfieldians are not, for the most part, cosmopolitan, and most are of lower-middle to middle income (excluding the nefarious, extravagant Montgomery Burns, Lindsey Naegle, Dr. Hibbert, Ranier Wolfcastle, the "Blue-Haired Lawyer", Kent Brockman, Mayor Quimby and his extended Kennedy-esque family, the "Well, I never!" woman, and the other members of the exclusive Springfield Golf and Country Club).

In one episode, the "small-town nastiness" of Springfield is made evident by a benighted tradition of "snake-whacking" whereby, annually, Springfieldians bludgeon snakes to death. Lisa Simpson is disgusted by this activity, and encourages the people of Springfield to end the 'tradition' with the aid of soul singer Barry White.

Springfieldians have a very bad reputation. As described by Dr. Hibbert, it is a town where the smartest have no power and the stupidest run everything. TIME magazine once did a cover story on Springfield entitled "America's Worst City," and Newsweek has referred to the city as "America's Crud Bucket." Most citizens are very stupid, overweight, and also quick to anger. Springfielders are also woefully backwards and scientifically ignorant, once condemning a man to be burnt at the stake for claiming that the Earth revolved around the Sun.

Finally, Springfielders are incredibly stupid and prone to act without thinking. On one occasion, when the only bridge out of town was destroyed by a poorly fired rocket, many Springfielders still attempted to leave the city by jumping the broken bridge with their cars, failing and plummeting into Springfield Gorge. On another occasion, when the town was suffering from a flu epidemic, the townspeople demanded Dr. Hibbert for a cure. When he replied that the only true cure was bed rest, and anything he could give them would only be a placebo, the dim-witted Springfielders immediately began smashing and knocking over trucks in the parking lot to search for the placebos, inadvertently releasing a horde of angry killer bees sealed up in crates. Springfield's stupidity may also explain why its citizens keep re-electing Mayor Quimby, despite his incredibly incompetent and corrupt administration and open admissions of fraud, adultery and murder.

On another occasion, every Springfielder in the city attended a town hall meeting meant to determine what to do with an unexpected cash windfall. This left the city's homes and businesses ripe for the plundering by Snake Jailbird and his criminal friends. Snake laughed about this to some of his friends as he was breaking into a house, saying "Could this town be any stupider?"

It should also be noted that Shelbyville residents are even more stupid and more backward (possibly due to their universal, unnatural attraction to their cousins).

There is a riot almost every month. Springfield also has a strange smell that is uncomfortable for new residents. It usually takes about six weeks for them to adjust (Actual cities near pulp mills, such as Lewiston, Idaho, Springfield, Florida, or Springfield, Oregon, have a similar problem; though no pulp industry has been mentioned, Springfield does have at least one pork rendering facility). Springfield is also the first United States city to abandon the metric system. Springfield was rated the 300th most livable city, and when Mensa members took over town, it moved up to 299, ahead of East St. Louis; although when Mensa came in, some long-term residents remarked, "Well, there goes the neighborhood."

Obesity has been several times a joke on the show. It is even stated in "Sweets and Sour Marge" that Springfield is "the world's fattest town."

Paradoxically, many celebrities (Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Ron Howard, Mel Gibson, George Plimpton, Joe Namath, Mark McGuire, Don Rickles, Mark Hamill, Stephen King, Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush, The Rolling Stones, U2, Spinal Tap, etc.) find their way to Springfield, and, in some cases, actually buy a house.

There are hundreds of McDonald's and Burger King restaurants in Springfield's state but none in Springfield itself. In fact, there are almost no fast food restaurants except for Krusty Burger, which has a monopoly over the town's fast food supply. In The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer, it is revealed that Krusty pays Fat Tony's mafia to keep the two major chains out of Springfield.

Demographics

Springfield is home to people of many races, cultures, and creeds, including European-Americans (the Simpson, Flanders and Van Houten families, Groundskeeper Willy, Uter, Principal Skinner (Armen Tamzarian), African-Americans (the Hibbert family, Carl and Lou), Latinos (Bumblebee Man), South Asians (Apu and his family, "Two Guys From Kabul") and East Asians (Cookie Kwan, Akira). Although the town appears to be majority white.

However, in the episode "Duffless", Principal Skinner claims that there are no Asian children at the Springfield Elementary School.

There is a large economic gap between wealthy citizens such as Krusty the Clown and Mr. Burns (whom Forbes estimates is worth $8.4 billion without taking into account the trillion dollar bill [1]), and poor citizens (Nelson Muntz, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel). The population is estimated to be about 40,000-50,000.

In the episode "A Tale of Two Springfields", Marge states that Springfield's population has grown so much that the city has been split into 2 area codes. Half the city retains the original 636, and the other half has a new 939 area code.

Crime

There are a number of prisons in Springfield, including Springfield Penitentiary, Springwood Minimum Security Prison, Springfield Women's Prison, and Montgomery Burns State Penitentiary. Although never mentioned again after a school strike, Springfield Elementary was turned into Springfield Elementary and Prison to help deal with money issues, but the final scene of the episode suggests that a prison break took place. Several episodes, including "The Seven Beer Snitch", would seem to suggest that Springfield is located in a state that retains the death penalty, with both an electric chair and a gas chamber being depicted in some of the town's various correctional facilities. There is also a psychiatric-care facility named 'Calmwood'. The Springfield Police Department, led by Police Chief Clancy Wiggum, is a largely corrupt and incompetent organization. Most of the time, it seems to have only three members (Wiggum, Lou and Eddie), though, when Marge herself joined the force, many other cops were shown, if only as they laughed at her and stole poorly-tailored jeans from the Simpson's 'car-hole'. On two occasions in the town's history, police duties have been removed from the Springfield Police Department. On the first occasion, they were handed over to a posse of drunken vigilantes, led by Homer Simpson, in order to better protect the 'World's Largest Cubic Zirconia' from a clever and charming cat-burglar. On the second occasion, they were transferred to the security company 'Springshield', which was again run by Homer Simpson, with the help of his friends Lenny and Carl. Most of the organized crime in town is controlled by Sicilian mob boss Fat Tony and his cronies; however, the Yakuza are present in smaller numbers and have fought at least one turf war with the Italians. The position of Chief of Police was also turned over to Rex Banner when alcohol was banned and Homer became the beer baron.

Arts and entertainment

Springfield boasts an opera house, an outdoor ampitheatre, an arboretum, a vibrant jazz scene and was once mentioned as the entertainment capital of its state. There is also an unusually high number of museums, including Springfield Museum (which features the world's largest cubic zirconia), Springfield Knowledgeum, Springfield Museum of Natural History, Springsonian Museum, and a stamp museum. Springfield was once home to a Concert Hall, but this was closed down after the first two measures of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and turned into the Montgomery Burns State Penitentiary.

Media

The city paper is The Springfield Shopper. KBBL studios serves as the major media outlet. Indeed, the most popular TV station is KBBL-TV (Channel 6), with Kent Brockman, Scott Christian and Arnie Pie ('in the Sky') on the news. KBBL is also the station on which Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Mel perform their long-running comedy show. Bill & Marty do the morning show on KBBL radio. Alternatively, Channel Ocho is a Spanish-language channel featuring the Bumblebee Man, who keeps the Latino audience in stitches with his slapstick soap-opera.

Religion

Religion and faith play a large role in Springfieldian society. The largest church community appears to be the First Church of Springfield, a 'Presbylutheran' church headed by the Reverend Timothy Lovejoy. There is also a synagogue (led by Rabbi Hyman Krustofski), a mosque, a Catholic church ('The Cathedral of the Downtown'), an Episcopal church (with vibrating pews), and a Buddhist temple. Apu, a Hindu, has a statue of the god Ganesh in the back room of his Kwik-E-Mart and presumably worships there. There are also Jehovah's Witnesses in Springfield, as they attempted to visit Marge after she installed a new doorbell.

In the episode "The Joy of Sect," many Springfieldians joined a cult known as Movementarianism, but soon left after it was revealed as a fraud. According to Reverend Lovejoy in "The Simpsons: Guide to Springfield" by Matt Groening, there has also formed an alliance of people who initially split off from the Presbylutherans to worship an Inanimate Carbon Rod. Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson and Lisa Simpson are all practicing Buddhists. There is also a 'Stonecutters Lodge' in town (currently re-named "The Ancient Society of No-Homers,"), of which practically every male in the city (minus Homer Simpson) is a member. It provides a certain amount of mystical instruction, in addition to weekly rib-nights, beer-fests and ping-pong tournaments.

The town government is entirely secular. In 1963, a law was passed which banned praying on city property. "Religion free since '63" is shown on mason work in one episode at city hall. (An episode featured a convict who was imprisoned for erecting a nativity scene on city property.) In "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song" Superintendent Chalmers fired Principal Ned Flanders when he overhears him saying "Thank the Lord!" over the PA system, in contravention of the American Public School prohibition on prayer. There are also a couple of Amish students at Springfield Elementary.

Sports

There are a number of sports teams and sports arenas: the Springfield Isotopes AA baseball team (which once threatened to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the real-life minor league baseball team eventually changed their name to the Isotopes), the Springfield Speedway, a Monster Truck Rally (featuring Truckasaurus), the Springfield Atoms American football team (led by Stan "The Boy" Taylor), the Springfield Stun arena football team, the Springfield Ice-otopes hockey team, the Association of Springfield Semi-Pro Boxers, and a dog track.

There are also many intramural options available to children, including youth hockey, football, soccer and volleyball, but the most popular sport for children is Baseball/Softball.

Springfield also has its own NASCAR oval, which is the scene of the death of Maude Flanders.

Infrastructure

Government

The current mayor of Springfield is Democrat Joe Quimby, a sleazy womanizing politician who once admitted to using the town treasury to fund the murder of his enemies and pay for his acquittal. He was briefly thrown out in favor of Sideshow Bob Terwilliger, but was later re-instated when Bob was impeached for electoral fraud. His post was threatened by a recall election, but none of the new candidates gained enough of the vote to oust him.

Further information: Sideshow Bob Roberts

Further information: See Homer Run

When the mayor briefly skipped town due to some 'missing' lottery funds, the town's MENSA chapter (Lisa Simpson, Dr. Julius Hibbert, Lindsey Naegle, Comic Book Guy, and Prof. Frink) took over. They changed all of the clocks in town to metric time, eliminated the green lights from stoplights, and put the city on the list of Top-300 US cities. It was 299th, above East Saint Louis, Illinois.

Further information: They Saved Lisa's Brain

In the United States House of Representatives, Springfield was once represented by Congressman Bob Arnold, who was later expelled for 'massive corruption'. However, in the episode "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington," Horace Wilcox is stated to have been congressman since 1933, possibly explained by re-districting. After Wilcox's death, Krusty the Clown runs for Congress as a Republican, and wins. He is still a representative, as of the episode "The Ziff Who Came To Dinner."

Laws, statutes, and propositions

Gambling is legal in Springfield, as is gay marriage, trade in children and fishing with dynamite. Prohibition was discovered to have been law for 200 years ("spirituous beverages are hereby prohibited in Springfield under penalty of catapult"), and was briefly reinforced, but this ended after a combination of discontent and the discovery that this law was repealed one year after its inception. Kicking a can repeatedly is also a felony, cited as "illegally transporting litter".

There are a number of unusual statutes in Springfield and its town charter, including "the chief constable shall receive one pig every month and two comely lasses of virtue true" and "it is illegal to mail threatening letters and to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling".

Proposition 24, which would deport all illegal immigrants from Springfield, passed with 95% at the end of "Much Apu About Nothing". (However, nearly all immigrants managed to gain citizen status before the law came into effect, with the sole exception of Willy.) Marge and her family successfully lobbied to get Proposition 242, a "Families Come First" grassroots-voter initiative, passed in "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays". In "Three Gays of the Condo", there is a billboard put up by Patty and Selma advocating yes on Proposition 104: "Homer Out of Springfield". In Lisa the Simpson, Lisa appears on Smartline to discuss Proposition 305 which would create bus fare discounts for war widows (an issue that Homer passionately opposed).

Education

There are quite a number of public and private schools in Springfield, including a pre-school (Ayn Rand School for Tots), two elementary schools (Springfield Elementary School & East Springfield Elementary School), an all-girls Catholic school run by French-Canadian nuns (Saint Sebastian's School for Wicked Girls), a junior high school near Moe's Tavern, and a magnet high school (Springfield High School). There are also a number of colleges, including Springfield A&M, Krusty's Clown College, the University of Springfield, and the unfortunately-named Springfield Heights Institute of Technology (S.H.I.T.). A full list of education institutions in Springfield can be found here.

Transportation

Bus service

Springfield's metropolitan area is served by a public bus service. The regular bus service has stops at Crackton, Airport Refueling Way and Area 51A. The city bus service provides public transit on the Route 22 bus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and the 22A bus on Tuesday and Thursday. There is also another route, the 108, as seen in Future-Drama.

Further information: Lost Our Lisa

.

International Airport

Springfield's International Airport has direct flights to:

• Paris, France (The Crepes of Wrath)
• Tirana, Albania (The Crepes of Wrath)
• New York City, United States (A Star Is Burns)
• Washington, D.C., United States
• London Heathrow, United Kingdom (The Regina Monologues)
• Tokyo, Japan (Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo)
• Hawaiian Islands(Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo)
• Jamaica(Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo)
• Canberra, Australia (city name never mentioned but inferred by the presence of a U.S. Embassy) (Bart Vs. Australia)
• Bombay (Mumbai), India (The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons)
• Bangalore, India (city name never mentioned but inferred by episode title) (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore)
• Beijing, China (Goo Goo Gai Pan)
• Tanzania, later known as New Zanzibar, and later still as Pepsi Presents New Zanzibar (see Simpsons Safari)
• Switzerland (exact location not named - see Treehouse of Horror VII)
• Nome, Alaska
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Blame It On Lisa)
• Stockholm, Sweden

Highways

Several highways run through Springfield, including the Michael Jackson Expressway (Interstate Route 401, formerly the Dalai Lama Expressway), the (incomplete) Matlock Expressway, Interstate 95, Route 202, and Rural Route 9. There is also a railroad, an abandoned aquaduct, and an escalator to nowhere.

Subway system

There is also a subway system, most likely a long-distance system, like the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, with a station at Third Street, as seen in the episode "Bart Sells His Soul". The actual system has never been shown on the show, but mentioned in asides.

Monorail

There was a short-lived monorail system constructed using surplus municipal funds at the behest of a con-man. After its inaugural trip, faulty construction resulted in near disaster for Homer, the conductor, and the town of Springfield. Fearing the same fate received by Ogdenville and East Haverbrook, two other patrons of the system, it has been left untouched since. (Marge vs. the Monorail)

Where is Springfield?

The uncertain location of Springfield is a running gag in the series, based on the fact that 34 states in the United States have at least one community with that name (several have more than one). Episodes frequently make fun of the fact that Springfield's state has never been revealed, by adding further conflicting descriptions, obscuring onscreen map representations, and interrupting conversational references. In actuality, the exact geographic location (and geographic features) of Springfield is probably best described as wherever (and whatever) suits the writers for a particular episode the best. A web page discussing Springfield's location states that due to the many contradictory clues, it is impossible for Springfield to exist in any set location [2]. Perhaps it is best to say that the fictional Springfield is set in a fictional state with an exact location in the United States which will vary from episode to episode.

Oregon

Matt Groening, the creator of the Simpsons, grew up in Eugene, Oregon. From Groening's childhood perspective, Springfield, Oregon was "the next town over". Groening also lived in Portland, Oregon. The show contains several references to features in Portland - Terwilliger Boulevard (Robert Underdog Terwilliger a.k.a. Sideshow Bob is a recurring villain). Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, named after Portland's Lovejoy Street, is the pastor of the Simpsons' church. Portland is also home to 'Northeast Flanders St.' The signs for this street, naturally, say 'NE Flanders St.' Some people have vandalized them to say 'NED Flanders St.' One of the juvenile delinquents in the show is named Kearney in honor of Portland's Kearney Street. Bart's best friend, Milhouse Van Houten, got his surname from Portland's Van Houten Avenue. Also Mayor Quimby is named for Quimby St in Portland. And Willamette Week, a Portland weekly paper, suggests that Portland's late TV children's show host "Rusty Nails" may be the inspiration for Krusty the Clown [3].

Many fans of The Simpsons believe Springfield, Oregon to be the Springfield of the show. This holds some merit considering the creator's upbringing near Springfield, Oregon. For instance, a popular park bears a striking resemblance to the fictional Springfield's town square. Springfield, Oregon also has a blue-collar industrial base. The similarities continue, especially when one considers the adjacent "higher-brow" university town of Eugene, Oregon to be the 'real' Shelbyville.

On the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, a "Pioneer Statue" was created by sculptor Alexander Proctor in 1919, and is located between Fenton and Friendly hall. It is rumored to have inspired the fictional statue of pioneer Jebediah Springfield in the television show The Simpsons. Also, Eugene boasts a popular landmark, a hill which overlooks the city, called "Skinner's Butte."

In the episode, "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington", Marge says that they live on the east coast which would mean that the Simpsons don't live in Oregon. However, in "You Only Move Twice" Hank Scorpio writes a letter saying that "If you're ever on the East Coast, drop me a line," implying they don't, in fact, live on the East coast. Several scenes throughout the series show the sun setting over the ocean, adding weight to the West Coast theory.

According to the Simpsons Hit & Run videogame, Springfield is near a harbor. The Oregon Springfield is by the McKenzie River and has a few docks there (this however dissatisfies the Springfield Squidport, as squid are exclusively saltwater animals). This Springfield also has a power plant.

However, in the episode "We're on the Road to D'ohwhere", Homer drives Bart to Portland, Oregon, and the show seems to imply that their trip is a cross-country, or at the very least, cross-state, journey, however the specific distance is not specified in the episode, so it's unclear as to whether this is outside of the state or within.

Kentucky

In the "Behind the Laughter" episode, a narrator describes the Simpsons as a "northern Kentucky family." In reruns however, this was changed to southern Missouri, deliberately adding to the confusion. There are in fact Springfields and Shelbyvilles in both Kentucky and Missouri. In the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, there is a Springfield, a Shelbyville, and even a Simpsonville within 50 air miles of each other. However, this episode featured the Simpson family as actors "playing" roles of themselves, and the events depicted on the episode are not recognized as being part of the series' set continuity. In addition, the closed-captioning of this episode, both originally and in syndication, revealed other states as the home of Springfield.

In a later episode during season 13 (Sweets and Sour Marge), Mr. Burns states they will smuggle sugar in from south of the border to which Homer replies, "Oh, you mean Tennessee?", implying they live in Kentucky.

In "The Italian Bob", Homer gives an old, Italian woman a mug with the word "Kentucky" printed on it, offending the woman.

Additionally, there are frequent mentions throughout Simpsons episodes of the nearby fictional town of "Capital City." Indeed, the capital of Kentucky, Frankfort, has an airport which is called "Capital City Airport" and is located within hour's drive of Springfield, Shelbyville, and Simpsonville. When Bart and Lisa go on a field trip to Capital City, they get lost and meet a bunch of hobos/rednecks, a common stereotype of people in Kentucky. Additionally, they anger the state's elderly female governor with their vulgar plans for a new state flag. Kentucky recently had a female governor.

Another factor that could rule out Kentucky is the fact that Springfield's state borders an ocean, which Kentucky does not.

In "Boy Scouts N The Hood", Homer pulls out a map of Krusty Burger locations in the US. The map clearly indicates that there are Krusty Burgers in the following states/areas:

1. Northwestern Nevada on the border of SE Oregon and NE California;
2. SE Border of Utah;
3. SE Corner of Arizona;
4. SE border area of Texas or possibly the eastern border of Louisiana;
5. Midpoint connection of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky;
6. A point around the Alabama, Georgia and Florida connecting borders;
7. A spot looking like Northern Kentucky, which touches Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia.

Towards the end of the episode, Bart and Homer's lost raft is headed towards an off-shore oil rig. Homer consults the map and points to the only Krusty Burger location on the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Virginia. The nearest KB location is the Northern Kentucky location which they may have floated to if there is a connecting river.

Florida

According to the video game The Simpsons Hit & Run, the town of Springfield is in Florida, but this could be ruled out in the episode "Special Edna", in which a sign in Springfield shows the distance to Orlando too far for Springfield to be in the same state. There is also evidence to disprove this point in the episode "Kill the Alligator and Run", in which the family vacations to Florida (which Homer refers to as "America's wang") and is prohibited from returning. After the Simpsons are expelled from Florida, Marge and Homer mark that state on a map, which shows only two states remaining that still welcome the Simpsons: Arizona and North Dakota, but Homer crosses out Arizona because "It smells funny".

New Jersey

In one episode, Lisa writes a letter to Mr. Burns, and the letter is sent to C. Montgomery Burns, Springfield, New Jersey.

In the episode "My Sister, My Sitter", and in The Simpsons Hit & Run video game, there is a shopping complex named "Squidport", having a metal (the metalwork much like an overhead traffic sign) arch sign with the name "Squidport" shaped into an arch. Peculiar enough, the complex is almost identical to a shopping center in Toms River, New Jersey, the Seacourt Pavilion, bearing an almost identical sign, same font in the lettering sign (same style), a similar name, and similar architecture.

California

In the episode "Simpson and Delilah", Smithers secretly went through Homer's personal file. It is revealed that Homer's social security number is 568-47-0008. And the 568 prefix is typically issued in California.

In the episode "Principal Charming" and "Selma's Choice", Hans Moleman's driver's license shows a ZIP Code of 90701. That is in fact the ZIP code for Artesia, California.

In the episode "Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)", Snake commandeers a helicopter after a high-speed police chase, then flies next to Kent Brockman's news chopper. When Brockman asks him about the traffic below, Snake mentions a pileup on the "101/405 interchange," a real highway crossroads located in Sherman Oaks, California.[4]

In an episode, an In-n-Out Burger was seen in Springfield. In-n-Out is only found in California, Nevada, and Arizona, the other two states being ruled out in other episodes (see below).

Michigan

In the episode "Duffless", Homer's driver's license shows an address of "Springfield NT 49007". ZIP code 49007 belongs to Kalamazoo, Michigan. See Springfield's State for more information on NT.

Midwest

One of the couch gags (which cannot be considered canon) zoomed out and showed the Simpsons' house in Springfield, Illinois. While Springfield, Illinois has a Shelbyville 50 miles to the southeast, and a nuclear power plant 40 miles to the northeast, there has not been any indication that it is 'the' Springfield, and could be coincidental. However, The Simpsons does make a direct reference to the Illinois city; in the episode where Homer is in a graveyard at night digging a plot, discarded dirt covers up the grave of Adlai Stevenson (a prominent Illinois politician and 2-time US presidential candidate, buried in Bloomington, Illinois, 50 miles to the northeast). In the episode G.I. D'oh, the Squeaky-voiced Teen quits his job to go work at "Jolly Tamale" which is a small but somewhat popular Mexican restaurant in Springfield, Illinois.

The couch gag sequence of The Simpsons episode entitled "The Ziff Who Came to Dinner" again left the location of Springfield something of a mystery. The sequence featured a "zooming out" from the Simpson household to a satellite view, then a solar system view, and so on in a parody of the 1977 documentary short Powers of Ten. The sequence contained plenty of cloud cover, but put Springfield somewhere in the Midwest, probably near the Mississippi River (Iowa, or maybe Missouri). The latter location is also suggested in the episode "Lisa the Tree Hugger" in which Lisa tries to protect the oldest tree in Springfield. To do so, she climbs a giant sequoia tree to prevent a team from cutting it down. When looking down on Springfield she sees a structure resembling the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri (but also the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington). A large river can also be seen.

In the episode "Marge vs. the Monorail", monorail salesman Lyle Lanley proclaims "I've sold monorail systems to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook! And, boy, it put them on the map!" He then holds up a map of the U.S. where Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook are the only cities shown. Marge then later drives to nearby North Haverbrook (where everybody resents there being a monorail there, despite the sign at the city limits saying "Where the Monorail is KING!"). The map shows North Haverbrook in the Midwest, approximately in Iowa.

In the episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield", the Simpsons go to the Ogdenville outlet mall to get a new television. The sign in Springfield indicates that it is only '90 miles' to Ogdenville. When Lyle Lanley holds up the map, Ogdenville is in New Mexico (by the way, Brockway appears to be in South Carolina).

In the episode "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington", when it is Lisa's turn to speak, it shows a map where Springfield is in "Illinois".

In the episode "The Springfield Files", Mulder tells Scully that there has been "another unsubstantiated UFO sighting in the heartland of America", referring to Homer's close encounter with an alien; so, for that episode, Springfield was presumably somewhere in the Midwest.

Homer suggests that Springfield is within a state bordering the Great Lakes. He said:

Oh, why did I take it [the wedding ring] off? ... Oh, right! To see if I could skip it across Lake Michigan.

However, this is only slightly relevant - he could have been visiting the state at the time.

The Simpsons address, 742 Evergreen Terrace, is an actual address in Savannah, Missouri

Nebraska

In Burns Baby Burns, Montgomery Burns's long lost son recognises his father on a train but is unable to board it before it moves away. He asks an attendant standing on the final carriage where it is going and is told "Springfield". The son says: "Yeah, but what state?" The guard's reply is almost inaudible, but ends in the syllable "-aska". This suggests that Springfield could be in Nebraska or Alaska.

Where Springfield isn't

Note: Some evidence is based on presuming the convention that one does not say the state name when mentioning a city in the same state that they reside.

• Alabama: In the episode "I Married Marge", one of Homer's competing job applicants said he was from the Alabama chapter of Alpha Tau. It is unlikely someone would say that if Springfield were in Alabama, although since the applicant is talking about his college experience this could refer to the University of Alabama rather than the state. In one episode where Lisa joins MENSA, Dr. Hibert says "I'm moving back to Alabama" implying that Springfield is not in Alabama.

• Alaska: In the episode "Marge on the Lam", when Marge and Ruth are chased by the police, a road sign is seen with "State line 2 miles". Alaska, Hawaii, and the insular areas are the only places where driving to other states directly is not possible. In the episode "Fear of Flying", Cwazy Clown Airlines offers the Simpsons free tickets to anywhere in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, "the freak states." And when Homer told his family about the "good news", Bart asks to go to Alaska and Lisa to Hawaii. In the episode "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", Homer says "We leave you the kids for three hours, and the county take 'em away?" to Grandpa. Alaska and Louisiana are the two states that do not divide into counties, but boroughs and parishes respectively.

• California: In the episode "And Maggie Makes Three," Homer talks to a young shoeshiner that works at his "dream job," or the Bowling Alley. He promises that the young boy will someday make it to California.

• Delaware: In the episode "Simpsons Tall Tales", the family is going on a trip to Delaware, and when Homer shakes a fist at the airport ticketholder, the family is kicked out of the airport and opts for train travel. So Springfield isn't in Delaware either.

• Hawaii: In the episode So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show, Homer offers to take his family to Hawaii. Therefore, Springfield cannot be in Hawaii. Also, in the episode "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk", Horst tells Springfield Nuclear Power Plant alcoholic employees that they'll spend six weeks at their drying-out facility in Hawaii. In the episode "Fear of Flying", Cwazy Clown Airlines offers the Simpsons free tickets to anywhere in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, "the freak states." And when Homer told his family about the "good news", Bart asks to go to Alaska and Lisa to Hawaii. So Springfield is not in either of these states.

• Indiana: In the episode "King-Size Homer", Homer reveals that Springfield observes daylight saving time. At the time when this episode was first aired (November 5, 1995), Hawaii, most of Arizona, and a large portion of Indiana did not observe daylight saving time.

• Iowa: In the episode "Moaning Lisa", Lisa wails for the Iowa farmer whose land has been taken away by uncaring bureaucrats, and the West Virginia coal-miner. Mr. Largo explains that "none of these unpleasant people are going to be at the recital next week", which could imply that Springfield isn't in Iowa or West Virginia.

• Louisiana: In the episode "Radio Bart", Chief Wiggum mentions a piece of machinery in Shreveport, Louisiana, so Springfield is not in Louisiana. Also, in the episode "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", Homer says "We leave you the kids for three hours, and the county take 'em away?" to Grandpa. Alaska and Louisiana are the two states that do not divide into counties, but boroughs and parishes respectively.

• Maryland: In the episode "Lisa the Iconoclast", it is revealed that settlers left Maryland and founded Springfield. Therefore, Springfield is not in Maryland.

• Massachusetts: In the episode "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", Sideshow Bob dismisses the air show as "butt-cut Alabamians spewing colored smoke from their whizz jets", and Homer tells Sideshow Bob ,"go back to Massachusetts". In the episode "We're on the Road to D'ohwhere," in which Homer drives Bart to Portland, Oregon to attend a discipline camp, the two make reference to Massachusetts' laws on gay marriage by saying, "Did you know that in Massachusetts it's legal for a guy to marry his son?". Also, in one episode, Otto used corporal punishment on Bart, after wrecking the bus and Skinner said, No corporal punishment, and Massachusetts allows corporal punishment. Also, in "The Regina Monologues," they get trapped in a London roundabout, a type of intersection prevalent in Massachusetts, without knowing how to exit it.

• Michigan: In the episode "Bart Gets Famous", the box factory manager says that the boxes are assembled in Flint, Michigan. Another reason against Sprignfield being in michigan is that in the episode "Take My Wife, Sleaze", when Homer is calling Chief Wiggum to report the Hell's Satans kidnapping Marge, Wiggum says: "Well, We have a little saying around here: Let Michigan handle it". A stronger clue appears in the episode "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", in which Homer goes searching for his long lost brother. In this episode when they are leaving Detroit to go back to Springfield a sign says "You are now leaving Michigan". This proves that the Simpsons cannot be living in Michigan.

• Mississippi: as Principal Skinner notes that selling kids is only legal in Springfield and Mississippi in the episode Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious.

• Missouri: as Superintendent Chalmers says that Springfield was voted the Worst Elementary School in Missouri (episode AABF03, Lisa gets an A), so they tore it up and moved it to the current location. In the episode "Homer Badman" Grandpa Simpson, when hanging a flag with only 49 stars, says, "I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missouri." In addition, during the episode when Abe Simpson regains his driver's license, and drives to Branson, Lisa remarks "Brandson is a thousand miles from here," which rules out any place in Missouri, counting out the fact the expression could have been an exaggeration.

• New Mexico: In the episode "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood", Homer looks at the Krusty Burger map and says "Hey, there's a new Mexico!" Assuming that Homer is smart enough to know his home state, Springfield is not in New Mexico.

• New York: In the episode 22 Short Films About Springfield, Principal Skinner makes up the word "steamed hams" and claims that it is a "regional dialect" of upstate New York. Many people also believed that Springfield was not in New York state because in one episode, The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson, Homer loathes New York. However, Homer only mentions loathing the city of New York, meaning that Springfield could very well be in another part of the state of New York. Many residents of upstate New York, in fact, do share a loathing of New York City and its suburban areas.

• North Carolina: In the episode Bart-Mangled Banner, Mayor Quimby compares the national hatred of Springfield caused by Bart's mooning of the U.S. flag to that of "Hitler City, North Carolina" before it changed its name to Charlotte.

• Ohio: In the episode "Homer and Apu", Apu said that Kwik-E-Mart is known as Stop-O-Mart in Ohio.

• Rhode Island: In the episode "Pygmoelian", referring to Moe's liquor license, Lenny says the license is only good in Rhode Island; Moe replies by saying "I've been meaning to get that updated, uh, for this state".

• Texas: In the episode Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish", Grandpa Van Houten says he won a chili cook-off in Beaumont, Texas. In the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)", Chief Wiggum says to Mr. Burns "No jury in the world's gonna convict a baby. Hmm, maybe Texas". Therefore, Springfield cannot be in Texas. In the episode "Old Money", the ghost of Bea says, "They've got me haunting a family in Texas". Therefore, Springfield cannot be in Texas. Texas is also too small to contain Springfield, as West Springfield is "three times the size of Texas", according to the episode "Half-Decent Proposal".

• Utah: In the episode "Bart's Comet", when Principal Skinner discovers Bart is responsible for the balloon prank, Bart says "race you to Utah" to Milhouse. Therefore, Springfield must not be in Utah. Also, in the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment", Bart is watching the Top Hat Channel. That channel is not available in Utah or Florida.

• Washington, D.C.: In the episode "Mother Simpson", it is shown that there is a state college. This means that Springfield is in a state, not in the District of Columbia nor in any of the insular areas.

• Wisconsin: In the episode Bart of War after Bart said "Hey! some jerks cleaned our field!" Nelson said "It's awful! It looks like Wisconsin!" so Springfield could not be in Wisconsin.

• West Virginia: In the episode "Moaning Lisa", Lisa wails for the Iowa farmer whose land has been taken away by uncaring bureaucrats, and the West Virginia coal-miner. Mr. Largo explains that "none of these unpleasant people are going to be at the recital next week", which could imply that Springfield isn't in Iowa or West Virginia.

The South: In the episode "The PTA Disbands!", a historical re-enactment has the American Civil War soldiers of Fort Springfield wearing Union blue, "heroically" massacring wounded Confederate soldiers in grey uniforms who have come to surrender. As such, Springfield cannot have been in one of the states that sided with the Confederate States of America. Springfield is also not in the South because when Carl and Lenny are handling nuclear waste in the episode "Marge vs. the Monorail", Lenny wonders where they dump it. Carl says,"Probably in one of those southern states where the governor's a crook." In "Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade," the Capitol City Goofball states that the state flag, which contains a Confederate flag in it, "is an embarassment, particularly as we are a northern state."

Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, California, Nevada, Utah: In the episode "Bart on the Road", Nelson says "I've always wanted to see Macon, Georgia". When the boys arrive in Branson, Missouri, Bart refers to the place with "Missouri";. They are also seen entering the border of Tennessee explicitly. When Homer replaces the light bulbs on the nuclear plant map, California, Nevada, and Utah are shown with all their plants and none is Springfield. These would eliminate 6 states.

Florida, Arizona, North Dakota: In the episode, "Kill the Alligator and Run", the family marks on a map that they are no longer welcome in Florida, which leaves Arizona (ruled out because it smells funny) and North Dakota, and, of course Springfield.

Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania: The Kwik E Mart sells beer and in the episode "Simpson Safari" Bart attempts to buy wine in a supermarket therefore Springfield can't be in; Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or Utah as none of these states allow the sale of wine in grocery stores.

Patty and Selma work at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The authority is known by various alternate names in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Washington.

In the episode "Much Apu About Nothing", there are also several clues as to where Springfield isn't

• On Homer's weekly paycheck, it is shown that the state withholds income tax. Therefore, this rules out Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
• Fat Tony told Apu that his false identity was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. So Springfield isn't in Wisconsin.
• When Homer is coaching Apu for immigration test, Homer first points to Chicago, but Lisa corrects him saying "you're not pointing anywhere near Springfield" and points out the correct location. At this time, Bart walks in and blocks the view. In this screenshot, we know that Springfield isn't in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, or Wyoming. In another screenshot, we know Springfield isn't in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

In summary, Springfield is not in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, or any of the insular areas.

By the way, we could notice some of evidences quoted are weaker than others (for example Iowa's or West Virginia's evidences).

The general list seems to leaves as undiscutable "possibilities" : Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, or a fictional state. However, this exclusion list may not be complete.

• Note...Connecticut does allow the sale of wine/alcohol in grocery stores but not after a certain time (8 pm)

West of the Mississippi

In several episodes the radio and television stations in Springfield use the call sign KBBL. All radio and television station call signs west of the Mississippi River, except for few grandfathered stations, begin with the letter K while stations east of the Mississippi River begin with the letter W. This implies then that Springfield must be west of the Mississippi River because its television station uses the call sign KBBL, television being non-existent at the time of creation of the K and W call sign system, unless the stations in question operate on a dual-license arrangement (an owner of a grandfathered radio station that later received a license for a sister television station), as in KYW-AM radio station and KYW-TV/KYW-DT television stations, in Philadelphia, KDKA-AM and KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, both of which are in Pennsylvania, and WDAY-FM, WDAY-AM, and WDAY-TV/WDAY-DT in Fargo and WDAZ-TV/WDAZ-DT in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Also, when the Simpsons get to Delaware on a train they pass the Mississippi River, meaning they live somewhere west of it.

East coast

Springfield, Massachusetts is referenced by the "Springfield Memorial Bridge" which separates Springfield from West Springfield in the cartoon and in Massachusetts. Another Massachusetts reference is that Mayor Quimby and his political machine have similarities to the powerful Kennedy family. Of Simpsons writers and producers, more of them attended college in Massachusetts than any other state.

In the episode "Mother Simpson", Homer discovers that the tombstone he always thought belonged to his mother actually belongs to Walt Whitman (causing Homer to pummel said tombstone and curse "Leaves of Grass, my ass!"). Walt Whitman is buried in Harleigh Cemetery, in Camden, New Jersey.

In the episode "Bart the Fink", when Bart questions the local bankers about the check he gave to Krusty, a phone call is made to New York at 2:01 PM, then to Cayman Islands at 2:02 PM. Afterwards, a fax is made to Washington D.C at 2:03 PM, and Krusty is arrested in Springfield at 2:04 PM. The first three places are all in UTC-5 time zone when the Northern Hemisphere is in winter, when the episode was first aired. And assuming the sequence of events is meant to show how quickly the authority reacts to tax evasion, that would put Springfield in the North American Eastern Time Zone.

In the episode "Lisa the Iconoclast", it is revealed that settlers founded Springfield in 1796, which was before the Louisiana Purchase. Therefore, Springfield must be east of the Mississippi River.

In the episode "Papa's Got a Brand New Badge", the character Fat Tony drives into downtown Springfield past a highway identification sign that very closely resembles United States Interstate signs, and bears the route number 95. The real I-95 is a major north-south route along the east coast of the United States. It should be noted however, that this was a parody of The Sopranos, which takes place in New Jersey, through which I-95 runs. However, The Simpsons cannot take place in New Jersey, as Homer and Bart must drive extensively to reach the Edison National Historic Site. In the episode Old Yeller Belly, the Amish build a treehouse for the Simpsons, indicating that Springfield is in either Ohio or Pennsylvania. Also, Milhouse's mother mentions Mechanicsburg; there is a Mechanicsburg in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.

There is a Springfield in Virginia through which I-95 runs; while there is no Mechanicsburg in Virginia, there are a few cities named Mechanicsville.

In the episode EABF16 a Mohican says his tribe's land stretched from "Krusty Burger to Gary's Waterbed Warehouse" while he indicated parts of Springfield.

In one episode, Bart's Comet is threatening to strike Springfield. Professor Frink devises a plan in which a rocket is fired at the comet. The rocket is shown being launched from the Springfield Armory, which was established in Springfield, MA during the Revolutionary War, and still exists as a historical museum.

In the episode "New Kids on the Blecch", L.T. Smash is able to drive an aircraft carrier to New York City.

Shown in various episodes inside of Android's Dungeon Comics & Baseball Card Shop is a Boston Red Sox pennant, a hometown baseball team in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In one episode, Mr. Burns destroyed the Old Man of the Mountain. This could mean this Springfield is in New England, maybe New Hampshire or Maine.

West coast

There is a strong case for the non-existent state being west of the Mississippi River, particularly somewhere on the west coast. This is supported by the facts that:

1. Springfield sits on the ocean, and
2. it has various features that only the west coast has
   • redwood tree(s)
   • mesas
   • a TV station that starts with a K (assuming that the Federal Communications Commission of the Simpsons' universe mirrors the real world FCC.)
   • sunsets over the ocean

Springfield's local radio station uses the call letters KBBL. In the episode "Colonel Homer", the town also has a country music radio station KUDD. "K" as the first call letter usually indicates a radio station west of the Mississippi River, whereas "W" as the first call letter usually indicates a radio station east of the Mississippi River. Most of the exceptions to the rule (such as station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, WFAA in Dallas, Tx, WOW in Omaha, Nebraska, WDAY in Fargo, North Dakota, or WHB in Kansas City, Missouri) were assigned call letters before this convention was established. It should be noted that in "Homer Alone", the lobby of Rancho Relaxo (located in the Springfield Mountains) plays the radio station "Coma", whose call letters are WKOMA. It is also possible that if the town was located next to the Mississippi River, they could also receive "W" stations on their radio.

Several episodes indicate that Springfield has an ocean coastline. One episode showed jellyfish washing up on Springfield Beach.

In another episode, "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood", Bart, Homer, and the Junior Campers float out to sea during a rafting trip. They are rescued by floating towards an unmanned oil rig which nevertheless features a failing Krusty Burger restaurant. Offshore oil rigs in the United States are found off the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and California. Earlier when they were still on the river, the Krusty Burger map shows two locations at two oil rigs, one off each coast. However, when the stranded group discovered the near by restaurant, Homer points at the east coast oil rig.

The episode "New Kids on the Blecch" established that oceangoing warships visit and dock at Springfield's harbor.

The episode "Simpson Tide" also shows that the submarine Homer is commanding travels west out of the Springfield Harbor into Russian Waters.

Springfield is also served by the Union Pacific.

In one episode, the Simpsons were going to Delaware, while on a train they had to cross the Mississippi, meaning they came from the west.

In "Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)" Snake Jailbird reports a traffic jam at the 101-405 interchange, both of which run up the Pacific Coast of the United States. Their interchange is in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA

Other places

Springfield is near a junction of five states (in real life, no such junction exists), yet it borders the ocean; it has a canyon, a desert, and mountains, including the tallest mountain in the United States. (In the episode "King of The Hill", Bart claims the Murderhorn is more than four miles higher than Springfield's elevation. The actual tallest mountain in the United States, Mount McKinley in Alaska, rises less than four miles above sea level.) Plus, the city has a vulnerability to every sort of natural disaster, which no one area would have. Sometimes it snows in Springfield, the town once experienced a hurricane, its ocean coast has an oil platform close offshore, and Springfield's western side (which is three times the size of Texas) is a vast oil field. Springfield is also 2,000 miles away from Arlen, Texas, which Hank Hill said in a brief cameo ("We drove 2,000 miles for this?). Arlen, Texas, interestingly enough, is just as fictional and mysterious as Springfield.

Bart After Dark establishes that the series is set near "Baby Seal Beach," which a television reporter says is on the West Coast, which would place the Springfield in that episode in California or Oregon.

Additionally, in Boy-Scoutz N the Hood there is a scene in which Bart, Homer, Flanders, Rod and Todd are almost killed by a tidal wave, which would imply they live on either the West or East Coasts.

In an earlier episode, it's established that Mexico is just a day trip away, meaning that the Springfield in this episode could logically be in California, New Mexico or Arizona.

In You Only Move Twice, a newspaper is seen indicating that Hank Scorpio has taken control of the East Cost. In that same episode, Cypress Creek - the community the Simpsons move to, which is said to be upstate - is shown with mountains. The Springfield in this episode has to be in one of the mountain states.

The revelation that Springfield was once entirely in the telephone area code 636 and that chaos erupted when half the town was switched to the new area code 939 does not clarify the situation; area code 636 is in Missouri, while 939 is in Puerto Rico. In another episode, Superintendent Chalmers refers to Springfield Elementary School as "the most dilapidated in all of Missouri", and shocks everyone (viewers and characters alike) by this disclosure, before continuing with "and that's why it was shut down and moved here, brick by brick." There also happens to be a Lake Springfield in Missouri.

There is also evidence that the Simpsons live in Louisiana. During one of the Halloween specials, it is proposed that Kang, a space alien, is the real father of Maggie. When Kang initiates telepathic contact with Maggie, baby Maggie responds by transmitting a signal with her pacifier. As the camera pans away from earth, the concentric radio signals are shown to be emanating from Louisiana. Furthermore, Marge is of French ancestry (her maiden name is Bouvier), so maybe she's cajun.

In an episode where the Simpsons visit a Prep school, Homer says to Lisa that he will pay for her to attend any college in South Carolina.

In the episode where Lisa goes to work with Homer, he points out Springfield Power Plant's location on a map of the USA, it appears to be in a fictional state south of Florida and is given as a place which would really be in the ocean.

A central highway called Highway 401 is mentioned in several episodes. There is a central highway named Highway 401 in the Province of Ontario, Canada, that passes through the City of Toronto. This has also lead to speculation of Toronto being the inspiration to Springfield (or of Springfield, Ontario being the show's location); however as mentioned above, the countless pieces of evidence of Springfield being in the United States automatically disprove this theory. However, Springfield has been shown to be close to the Canadian border, as the Simpsons have made day-trips into Canada, and everybody in Springfield knows the Canadian Anthem.

In the episode "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington" the Simpson's mail contains the ZIP code 192005, a made-up ZIP code obviously, as real ZIP codes are 5-digit.

In the episode "Lisa the Beauty Queen", Lisa greets a boatload of immigrants to be deported. Springfield must have access to the coasts via a river or lake.

Various other episodes show traveling characters:

• The episode "Old Money", Abraham Simpson had to cross the state border to reach a casino.
• When Snake steals Kwik-E-Mart in the episode Marge in Chains, a road sign says "63 miles to North Haverbrook and 678 miles to Mexico City". That would place Springfield within Mexican territory or in the southern most tip of Texas. However, the very same road sign contradicts with the established location of North Haverbrook somewhere between South Dakota and Nebraska, as seen in Marge vs. the Monorail.
• The episode "Viva Ned Flanders" (and other episodes in which characters visit Las Vegas) establishes that Springfield is within an easy day's drive of Las Vegas by car.
• The episode "New Kids on the Blecch" establishes that Springfield is only a few minutes' sail from New York City by ship.
• The family has been to New York City and Canada by bus.
• In an episode where Homer joins the US Navy reserve, a map shows his submarine's route leaving Springfield on the US Pacific coast.
• Marge is seen driving to Ogdenville, which was shown in the southwest, approximately Arizona.
• Homer is shown driving into Montana, presumably on a short trip.
• The family is shown driving over the Mississippi River en route to Washington, D.C.
• Ned Flanders falls for one of Homer's pranks by going to Montana to meet Jesus by Bus.
• Skinner drives Willie's car from Springfield to Orlando, Florida and passes a sign saying Orlando, 2653 miles. The Springfield in this episode has to be on the west coast, and possibly Idaho or Nevada.

In "Boy Scouts N The Hood", Homer pulls out a map of Krusty Burger locations in the US. The map clearly indicates that there are KB's in the following states/areas:

1. Northwestern Nevada on the border of SE Oregon and NE California;
2. SE Border of Utah;
3. SE Corner of Arizona;
4. SE border area of Texas or possibly the eastern border of Louisiana;
5. Midpoint connection of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky;
6. A point around the Alabama, Georgia and Florida connecting borders;
7. and a spot looking like Northern Kentucky, which touches Indiana, Ohio, and Virgina.

In the episode "The Old Man and the Key", Abraham Simpson states that Springfield is 1000 km from Branson, Missouri. A circle of exactly 1000 km would sweep (clock-wise) southwestern Texas, eastern New Mexico, mid-eastern Colorado, northwestern Nebraska, center-southeastern South Dakota, central Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, central Michigan, central Ohio, southwestern West Virginia, a very small and uninhabited segment in the east most tip of Kentucky, southeastern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northwestern South Carolina, central Georgia, and northwestern Florida.

Springfield's state

Main article: Springfield's State (The Simpsons)

The flag of Springfield's state showed (prior to a redesign contest) a Confederate Battle Flag floating on (or sinking into) a body of water in front of a sunrise, paralleling the controversies surrounding the state flags of Mississippi and Georgia. (The flag had to be redesigned because they live in a "northern state".) The state bird is the potbellied sparrow; the state pasta is bowtie. The state slogan is "Not Just Another State" (formerly known as the "Learn to Fart State"), and the longtime governor is Mary Bailey. The capital of Springfield's state is named "Capital City", and boasts its own Major League Baseball team.

While the name of the state has never been mentioned, Homer Simpson's driver's license shows that the state's abbreviation is "NT". According to producer/director David Silverman, Springfield is in the made-up state of "North Takoma" (a play on North Dakota, perhaps as well as the north end of the city of Tacoma, Washington). The two-letter abbreviation NT is legally used to refer to Canada's Northwest Territories, or Australia's Northern Territory, but it is clear Springfield is in the U.S. U.S. flags are everywhere in Springfield: note the flag in the opening credits. The episode "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington" supplies not only the abbreviation NT for the state, but also the abbreviation TA (on mail addressed to the Simpsons), and in that same episode it is revealed that Springfield's ZIP code 192005. The "NT" and "TA" could possibly stand for "Nice Try" and "Try Again."

A reasonable conclusion?

Springfield as a city (and its state), does not actually exist; rather, Springfield and its incisively observed cross-section of people may be seen as an allegory of The United States itself as a whole. Springfield, in fact, encompasses all of modern America. This is supported by the reference to the city as "Springfield, USA" in one episode, which shows its broad application over the entire United States. As a metaphor it thus travels around the states, pushing geopolitical localities off to replace them for the episode or such. It's a wandering state which makes it in effect "Not Just Another State".

See also

• Evergreen Terrace (The Simpsons)
• List of characters from The Simpsons
• Springfield's state

External links

• Map of Springfield
• An interactive version of the map of Springfield
• History of Portland, Oregon (an influence on the fictional history of Springfield)
• The Simpsons Archive: Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield?
• CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet, location of The Simpsons being determined by elimination

Further reading

Tropiano, Stephen (2000). TV Towns. New York, NY: TV Books L.L.C. ISBN 1-57500-127-6

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