Update: Don’t have a cow, man. Matt Groening didn’t reveal the location of The Simpsons’ wacky, ever unfolding hamlet, Springfield. He was just letting us know where he got the name.
“Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show Father Knows Best took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown,” Groening said in an interview with Smithsonian magazine, adding, “When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, ‘This will be cool; everyone will think it’s their Springfield.’ And they do.” Well, they did.
But don’t expect hardcore Simpsons devotees or the Internet (it’s on computers now!) to let some previous, glaring reveals about Springfield’s location slide. While Lisa Simpson once teased “if you look at the clues, you can figure it out,” regarding where they actually reside (she also once famously pointed it out on a map, only have Homer’s head block it), at the end of the classic “Behind the Laughter” episode, the Simpsons are referred to as a “Northern Kentucky family.” D’oh-eth!
While the Pacific Northwest does seem like the prime location for Bigfoot sightings, spiritual quests for knowledge, and Hank Scorpio‘s headquarters, it feels a little bit like the end of an era. (Plus, there’s no Shelbyville, Ore.?! That means the lemon tree is for the taking!) Are you glad to have the mystery over? Does it put a lot of things in perspective, like just how far Bart traveled to get to the famous Wigsphere? Or was Groening revealing that it’s Oregon the Worst. Decision. Ever.?
[Photo credit: Fox]
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