# what state is Springfield in ? -  the Simpsons hometown



## macridah (May 13, 2003)

Just wondering what state Springfield, the hometown of the Simpsons, is in.

The  writers and producers of the cartoon said they have been putting hints in the episodes, but I can't catch all of them.  Does anyone know the answer ?

So please post possible location with clues.

Thanks !


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## wdw_ (May 13, 2003)

In episode 3G04 (Simpson Tide) there is a scene where Homer is correctly leading a submarine back to Springfield harbor. At the last second he decides to go the complete opposite direction and ends up in Russian waters. If you study a map the spot they were heading to was actually Cape Edgecumbe on the cost of Alaska.

In episode 5F03 (Bart Star) Hank Hill makes a cameo appearance and comments "We drove 2000 miles for this?" meaning that Arlen, Texas (which does not exist) is 2000 miles from springfield.

There are many other hints, but I just wanted to point out those two. I've stopped searching. Springfield isn't anywhere. The weather doesn't make sense and there are too many continuity problems for anybody to have answer to the question where is Springfield.

If you want to know more I suggest you follow this link:

http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html


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## Dusky (May 13, 2003)

You'll love this page:

http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html

Once you're on the page, scroll down a bit...


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## Arden (May 13, 2003)

According to the "Behind the Laughter" episode, they are from Kentucky.
According to the Halloween episode where Maggie is really an alien, they live on the southern coast, near Louisiana.
Springfield is a city in a constant state of change.  Locations move from being within walking distance or field of view of one another to being on the other side of town.  Furthermore, features spontaneously appear when convenient.  Springfield apparently has a harbor, a mountain range, a forest, and much more, that do not appear in aerial views.
The Simpsons have been banned from 49 out of 50 states in the US, presumably including their home state because they are "going to New Mexico" or Arizona or somewhere in the Southwest.
Springfield has a number of "towns" like the Russian district, or "Immigranttown" (or whatever).  Further, West Springfield is 3x the size of Texas.

In the end, there's too much evidence against any state for Springfield to be anywhere.  It's just conveniently located where it is, to the advantage or disadvantage of whatever the story calls for.


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## Dlatu1983 (May 13, 2003)

My neighbor's son-in-law is a writer for The Simpsons. The reason that Springfield was chosen as the name of the city is because almost all 50 states have a Springfield. Don't count on them ever letting out which state the family lives in, because it'll never happen, unfortunately. That's why they love to tease us with it.


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## Sogni (May 13, 2003)

Donno what episode or when, but I got the impression they where in Ohio, cuz Marge was on the phone, I believe ordering something and she started giving out the address... 

In the middle of giving out the state, she said "Hi" to someone who walked in (Flander's Wife?), so it sounded like, "Springfield, Ohi-Oh, Hi ___!" (person who walked in).

Kinda sounds like SoCal the way you described it Arden, you can be at the mountains in snow (in winter of course), at the beach/harbor, forest, river in just an hour or two by car.


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## Sogni (May 13, 2003)

I used to live about a mile from Bart! 
Donno if she still lives there, but now I'm about 12 miles from her. Wish I coulda met her. I knew someone who did too! Dangit! 




> _Originally posted by Dlatu1983 _
> *My neighbor's son-in-law is a writer for The Simpsons. The reason that Springfield was chosen as the name of the city is because almost all 50 states have a Springfield. Don't count on them ever letting out which state the family lives in, because it'll never happen, unfortunately. That's why they love to tease us with it. *


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## macridah (May 14, 2003)

I just saw an episode were the newscaster won a super lotto jackpot and cut off a breaking news story in cleveland, but that clue would be to obvious.  That would only hold true assuming it was a local story.

I might make sense.  Springfield needs to be near water because there are a lot of episodes when they go to the beach, and take out a boat.

Some people say there's no official state, but there is an episode were Lisa asked if we figured it out and to look closely because there are small clues.  Also, there is an interview with a writer on E! that said that springfield is in a state.

Well, let me know if anyone has anyother clues.


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## larry98765 (May 14, 2003)

I always guessed Massachusetts, because of the Mayor's accent. But of course, that's mostly just a connection between politics and the Kennedys.


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## Arden (May 14, 2003)

You know it's going to be something stupid like "Ha ha all you idiots!  They're really in Hawaii!"  Although...


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## Trip (May 14, 2003)

It's actually in Utah. Come out here to Utah and drive into the city "Springfield" and you'll see a bunch of billboards that read "Home of the simpsons".


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## wdw_ (May 14, 2003)

I think the official location of Springfield is the United States. I think Springfield covers the entire USA. In episode DABF04 (Half Decent Proposal) Lisa comments that West Springfield is three times the size of Texas. That means that the rest of spingfield could cover the entire USA.


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## Ugg (May 14, 2003)

Matt Groening grew up in Springfield Oregon.  It's right next door to Eugene.  He also went to The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, WA (the same Univ. that Rachel Corrie went to).  Anyway, he chose the name because it is so common, it is meant to be every city USA.  I think we can all identify with it in our own way because he does blend a little bit of every US city into it.  

That is also part of its appeal in that nobody can say "oh, those stupid ohioans, or oregonians or texans or whatever.  I think we can rule out a few states though.  Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming.  Any others it wouldn't take place in?


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## chemistry_geek (May 15, 2003)

There is a Springfield Ohio.  It is just West of Toledo, approximately 7 or 8 miles south of the Ohio-Michigan state line.  South of Springfield is Monclova Ohio, North of Springfield is Sylvania Ohio.


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## Da_iMac_Daddy (May 15, 2003)

Any one ever notice how the Simpsons really like to make fun of my state (Delaware)?


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## wdw_ (May 15, 2003)

*Homer*: The Simpsons are going to Delaware!
*Lisa*:  I want to see Wilmington!
*Bart*:  I want to visit a screen door factory!

- Episode CABF17 (Simpsons Tall Tales)


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## Androo (May 15, 2003)

There are like 4 springfields in the US.... they always go to places that are close to a springfield... when they went to Las Vegas and got married to the waitresses for example...


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## anerki (May 16, 2003)

The joke is that Springfield is the name most used for a city in the US. Well, that's what I've been told, but then again, the men with the white suits could be wrong of course ...


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## MikeXpop (May 16, 2003)

Here are two things that make it impossible.

In many episodes it snows. There are a lot of snowing equipment, so snowing is quite common.

In the episode where Marge is afraid to go out of the house (and latter gets all bulked up), she overcomes her fear by running out of the house and picking a lemon out of a tree.

Anyone who has ever been to a place hot enough to grow lemons (Arizona, California) knows that there is no way that it would snow at all.

Therefore, Sprinfield is obviously a mobile city (hey, it moved once, remember?).


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## j79 (May 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Androo _
> *There are like 4 springfields in the US.... they always go to places that are close to a springfield... when they went to Las Vegas and got married to the waitresses for example... *



Springfield, CO                         
Springfield, IL                         
Springfield, MA                         
Springfield, MN                         
Springfield, MO                         
Springfield, OH                         
Springfield, OR                         
Springfield (Effingham County), GA                         
Springfield (Fairfax County), VA


I always guessed Massachusetts, also. Someone mentioned the Mayor's accent.. but, also the episode where they are going to Captial City. I always associated Captial City with New York, and since Springfield Ma, is near New York.........

Okay, i lie. the real reason is cause I'm from Mass. 
hehe


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## JohnnyV (May 18, 2003)

I remember in one epsiode that they went on a trip to another state.  When they got back they said that they were banned from every state but two and homer said that one of them sucks, so the went to the other one.  By process of elimination you could determine which state they live in.  Sorry but I don't remember anything more about the episode.


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## macridah (May 25, 2003)

I was wondering if it would be easy to narrow down the choices and pic states with nuclear power plants and dams but i don't think the writers knew exactly what state springfield is in when it first started.  I do know for sure that starting from year 8, they picked a state and starting dropping hints. 

This whole investigation is driving me nuts but I'll find it a post it with all the evidence once i find out.


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## macridah (Mar 4, 2004)

I think i got it.  First, it's not a mobile city.  At the end of the episode when the simpsons went to brazil, lisa asked us if we found out what state they are in-- then said there are clues.  

secondly, in the episdoe when homer was getting replicated in the hammack, some army general showed how fast homer would replicate, and showed a map of what looks like OHIO.

So if anyone has that episode on Tivo or eventually gets it on DVD, slow-mo that scene.

Lastly, there might be a flaw in that theory.  Lisa said that branon, MI was 1000 miles away from springfield.

Anyone got some other clues?


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## Randman (Mar 5, 2004)

I say California since that's where the show is written.


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## Arden (Mar 7, 2004)

There have been numerous clues, all meant to throw us off.  For example, in one Treehouse of Terror, where Maggie is really an alien, it shows her broadcasting to her people... from somewhere on the Gulf of Mexico.  Hmm...


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## brianleahy (Mar 15, 2004)

On last night's episode, the sofa gag (the best ever in my opinion) zoomed from the Simpsons' living room and out into space.  It briefly showed Springfield's location in the US - and to my eye, it seemed to align approximately with the actual location of Springfield Illinois...


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## markceltic (Mar 21, 2004)

Like others have stated it could be anywhere to fit the story.But as you notice in that opening couch sequence it's most likely in some subatomic structure in one of Homer's hairs. Okay Brian I'll go sniffing through your life...... hey a pic of an iMac.


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