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Difference between revisions of "Springfield's state"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
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Another, less orthodox system is the [[Springfield Monorail|monorail]] system installed in [[Springfield]], [[Brockway]], [[Ogdenville]] and [[North Haverbrook]], since closed for safety reasons.
 
Another, less orthodox system is the [[Springfield Monorail|monorail]] system installed in [[Springfield]], [[Brockway]], [[Ogdenville]] and [[North Haverbrook]], since closed for safety reasons.
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====West of the Mississippi====
 
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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.
 
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Also, when the Simpsons get to Delaware on a train, they pass the Mississippi River, meaning they live somewhere west of it.
 
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====East coast====
 
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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 [[Joe Quimby|Mayor Quimby]] and his political machine have similarities to the powerful Kennedy family, including the mayor and his family's thick Boston accent even though Springfield, Massachusetts natives DO NOT have the famous New England accent. Of Simpsons writers and producers, more of them attended college in Massachusetts than any other state.  A segment on WFXT revealed that Springfield's city hall is actually copied from that of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. This however, could simply mean nothing. The bridge could be a coincidence, and Quimby may not have grown up in Springfield.
 
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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, Camden, New Jersey.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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. 
 
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There is a Springfield in Virginia through which I-95 runs; while there is no Mechanicsburg in Virginia, there are four communities named Mechanicsville.
 
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In the episode "Bart of War", a Mohican says his tribe's land stretched from "[[Krusty Burger]] to [[Gary's Waterbed Warehouse]]" while he indicated parts of Springfield.
 
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In one episode, "Bart's Comet", a 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, Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War, and still exists as a historical museum.
 
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In the episode "[[New Kids on the Blecch]]", [[L.T. Smash]] is able to drive an aircraft carrier to New York City.
 
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In the episode "[[Boy-Scoutz N the Hood]]", On the map of "[Krusty Burger]]" locations, Homer points to the one off the east coast, implying they live on the east coast
 
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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.
 
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====West coast====
 
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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:
 
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# Springfield sits on the ocean, and
 
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# it has various features that only the west coast has
 
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#*redwood tree(s)
 
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#*mesas
 
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#*a TV station that starts with a K (assuming that the Federal Communications Commission of the Simpsons' universe mirrors the real world FCC.)
 
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#*sunsets over the ocean
 
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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, Texas, WOAI in San Antonio, Texas, 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(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.
 
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Several episodes indicate that Springfield has an ocean coastline. One episode showed jellyfish washing up on [[Springfield Beach]].
 
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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.
 
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The episode "[[New Kids on the Blecch]]" established that oceangoing warships visit and dock at Springfield's harbor. However, the skyline is similar to New York City and there is a reference to destroying the Mad Magazine headquarters, which in another episode are said to be in New York City.
 
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The episode "[[Simpson Tide]]" also shows that the submarine Homer is commanding travels west out of the [[Springfield Harbor]] into Russian waters.
 
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Springfield is also served by the Union Pacific Railroad.
 
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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.
 
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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, California.
 
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In the episode [[El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)|El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer]], Marge notes that Springfield slopes down in a westward direction, lending more credibility to the West Coast theory.
 
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===Other places===
 
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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.
 
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"[[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.
 
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Additionally, in "[[Boy-Scoutz N the Hood]]" there is a scene in which Bart, Homer, Flanders, and Rod are lost at sea, which would imply they live on either the West or East coasts.
 
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In an earlier episode "[[Kamp Krusty]]", it is established that Tijuana is just a day trip away, meaning that the Springfield in this episode could logically be in California, New Mexico or Arizona.
 
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In "[[You Only Move Twice]]", a newspaper is seen indicating that [[Hank Scorpio]] has taken control of the East coast. In that same episode, [[Cypress Creek]] (the community where the Simpsons move, which is said to be upstate) is shown with mountains. The Springfield in this episode has to be in one of the mountain states.
 
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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.
 
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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, 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 is Cajun.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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 digits.
 
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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.
 
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Various other episodes show traveling characters:
 
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*In the episode where the Simpsons go to New York City, Homer has a flash back from a time when he stopped in NYC on a bus trip to Harrisburg (presumably PA).  The fact that Homer was traveling through New York to get to Harrisburg would seem to suggest that he had to travel south to get to Pennsylvania, thus placing Springfield in either New York or New England.
 
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*The episode "[[Old Money]]", Abraham Simpson had to cross the state border to reach a casino.
 
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*When [[Snake Jailbird|Snake]] steals the [[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]]".
 
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*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.
 
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*The episode "[[New Kids on the Blecch]]" establishes that Springfield is only a few minutes' sail from New York City by ship.
 
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*The family has been to New York City and Canada by bus.
 
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*In an episode where Homer joins the US Navy reserve, a map shows his submarine's route leaving Springfield on the US Pacific coast.
 
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*Marge is seen driving to Ogdenville, which was shown in the southwest, approximately Arizona.
 
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*Homer is shown driving into Montana, presumably on a short trip.
 
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*The family is shown driving over the Mississippi River en route to Washington, D.C.
 
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*Ned Flanders falls for one of Homer's pranks by going to Montana to meet Jesus by Train.
 
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*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 in a coastal county of Washington state, either Grays Harbor, Jefferson or Clallam.
 
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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:
 
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# Northwestern Nevada on the border of SE Oregon and NE California;
 
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# SE Border of Utah;
 
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# SE Corner of Arizona;
 
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# SE border area of Texas or possibly the eastern border of Louisiana;
 
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# Midpoint connection of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky;
 
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# A point around the Alabama, Georgia and Florida connecting borders;
 
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# and a spot looking like Northern Kentucky, which touches Indiana, Ohio, and Virgina.
 
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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.
 
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In a trailer for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' , [[Ned Flanders]] and Bart hike to the top of a mountain, where Flanders states that from the summit "you can see the four states that border Springfield: Ohio, Nevada, Maine and Kentucky." These states are, in fact, nowhere near each other and are not linked to each other, thus they cannot be linked to Springfield. However it should be noted that all of the states Flanders indicates have "Springfields" in them, except for Nevada (though ironically Nevada is the only place an official, life-sized, scale replica of the Simpsons house can be found).
 
  
 
===Where Springfield isn't===
 
===Where Springfield isn't===
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[[David Silverman]], a director for the Simpsons, has claimed that Springfield is in the fictional state of "North Tacoma" (or "North Takoma"). This is substantiated by the state abbreviations NT and TA used within the show. However, this has never been officially confirmed in any canonical episode of ''The Simpsons'' or by other Simpsons producers.  And on Homer's Driver License the state is NT and the zip code is 49007, which is a Kalamazoo, Michigan zip code.
 
[[David Silverman]], a director for the Simpsons, has claimed that Springfield is in the fictional state of "North Tacoma" (or "North Takoma"). This is substantiated by the state abbreviations NT and TA used within the show. However, this has never been officially confirmed in any canonical episode of ''The Simpsons'' or by other Simpsons producers.  And on Homer's Driver License the state is NT and the zip code is 49007, which is a Kalamazoo, Michigan zip code.
  
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===Plan B?===
 
  
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As seen in [[Trash of the Titans]], a "Plan B" exists that lets the city move.  it is possible that Springfield's state has been in a constant state of flux over the years considering the amount of pollution it theoretically creates and diversity of animal life shown.
 
  
  
 
[[Category:Fictional U.S. states]]
 
[[Category:Fictional U.S. states]]

Revision as of 17:32, August 15, 2008

Springfield's State
State flag of North Tacoma
State Motto: Not just another state
Capital Capital City
Largest city Capital City
Governor Mary Bailey
Known Congressional Representatives Rich Texan (Senator), Herschel Pinkus Yerucham Krustofski (Representative)
Area Kentucky
Highest point 6144 m
Naming N/A
Main Industry Brewing, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Petrochemicals, Nuclear Power
Abbreviations - USPS NT, TA, TK, USA
State Bird Potbellied sparrow
State Pasta Farfalle

Springfield's state, Illinois, is the state that the city of Springfield in the The Simpsons is located in. The state capital is Capital City. It is bordered by Maine, Kentucky, Nevada, and Ohio.

History

The state was founded by circus freaks, and was believed to be the location of New Sodom, due to misinterpreting a passage in the Bible. Settlers heading for the New Sodom instead however founded Springfield, built on Puritan values, and Shelbyville, built on marriage between cousins.

The state has a Springfield County in which the city of Springfield is located. There is also a Swartzwelder County which borders Springfield County. There also the very rural Spittle County, which claims to be the birthplace of the loogie. Other cities in the state include: Cypress Creek, founded by the Globex Corporation; Ogdenville, famous for its outlet malls and monorail; Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport, allegedly America's scrod basket; and Capital City, apparently the largest city in the state. Catfish Lake is known for its fishing and marriage retreats. There is also the unpopular community of Stenchburg. There are also the towns with the scary names of Terror Lake, Cape Fear, New Horrorfield, and Screamville. Also there are towns with the chaste names of Frigid Falls, Mount Seldom and Lake Flaccid.

Economy

The state is made up of mainly agricultural land, with occasional large cities such as Capital City and small and medium-sized towns such as Springfield. The farms mainly grow corn, livestock, dairy, fruit, cotton, tobacco, and tomacco, while within the cities, the main industries are brewing by the Duff and Fudd beer corporations, coal mining, casinos, manufacture of boxes, pillows, food, copper, iron, steel, industrial equipment, dangerous chemicals and retail. This balance means that most of the population works in low paid jobs, mostly blue collar.

Despite this, several wealthy citizens exist, most famously Charles Montgomery Burns (a utilities magnate), Aristotle Amadopoulos (another utilities magnate), Hank Scorpio (a crime lord who would later seize the Eastern Seaboard) and Artie Ziff (an entrepreneur).

The state features at least two international airports: Springfield Airport and Capital City Airport. Springfield also has a nuclear power plant, a naval base, an army base and an air force base, providing jobs.

The state includes both areas of high wealth (the former Old Springfield, the center of Capital City), and slum areas (Capital City outskirts, New Springfield). Because of this, the state becomes very polarized, with constant feuds between upper and lower class citizens over issues as petty as telephone area codes.

Geography

The state is heavily polluted due to years of lax controls, corrupt government, greedy business and Mafia influence. Toxic waste is crammed into every crack, and Lake Springfield contains mutated three-eyed fish. Despite this, the state has a wide array of wildlife, including grizzly bears, bald eagles, and manatees.

The terrain of the state is varied; it is a coastal state with desert and badlands, mountain ranges almost as high as Mount Everest, lush forest, valleys, plains and huge areas of farmland.

The state is a northern state that was on the Union side during the Civil War - the fact that the state flag has a Confederate flag on it makes it all the more embarrassing for the state's population.

Politics

The matriarchal and revered Mary Bailey, first seen as the incumbent Governor in "Two Cars In Every Garage, Three Eyes On Every Fish", could be seen as loosely based on 1980s Kentucky Democratic Governor Martha Layne Collins. The current Mayor is Joe Quimby (Diamond Joe). He is woman-izing, scandalous, bribe-taking politician. Joe will help anyone who has a few bucks to put toward his "campaign". He is often accompanied by dumb stacked blondes. His catch-phrase is "vote Quimby". Joe has a very "Kennedy-esque" voice.

Education

The state follows a standard education system, with elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools. However, the state has a very low education budget; schools can only afford to buy books other schools have banned, they are forced to cancel all artistic and physical education, and must rent out classrooms as prison cells to make ends meet. The most extreme example of this is Springfield Elementary School, which was moved from Missouri brick by brick after reaching bottom of the state league table. The state is also home to Springfield University, Springfield A&M (which was founded by a cow), and the unfortunately-acronymed Springfield Heights Institute of Technology.

Transport

The state has a comprehensive Interstate Highway system, linking to Oregon, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas and "some other state." Interstate 95 was depicted in one of the episodes. The area also has a good rail network, with both passenger and freight services. The area's several international airports also provide a strong transport link with destinations in the state, other US states, and the world.

Another, less orthodox system is the monorail system installed in Springfield, Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook, since closed for safety reasons.

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", Kwazy Klown 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. IN the simpsons movie the simpsons move to Alaska.
  • Arizona: 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. However, Springfield could be in the area of Arizona that doesn't observe daylight savings time, which would mean they lived on an reservation. In the episode "Kill the Alligator and Run", Arizona is one of the only two states the The Simpsons are allowed in (the other one is North Dakota), but Homer says Arizona smells funny and Marge crosses Arizona off the chart. This implies they do not live in Arizona. Also, there is no place in Arizona called Springfield.
  • 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.
  • Connecticut: In the episode "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife," Marge says to a member of her family, "What are you doing in the Nutmeg State." The Nutmeg State is Connecticut, and if Marge is surprised that someone has traveled into the Nutmeg State, it therefore follows that the Simpsons do not live in Springfield, Connecticut.
  • 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.
  • Florida: In the episode Bart vs. Australia, Homer tells Bart that next time he should commit a crime in Orlando, Florida - indicating that Springfield isn't in Florida.
  • 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", Kwazy Klown 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. Also the Simpsons have easily driven to various parts of the Continental United States, impossible to do in Hawaii. 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 to "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 "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"
  • Missouri: as Superintendent Chalmers says that Springfield was voted the Worst Elementary School in Missouri ("Lisa Gets an A"), so they tore it up and moved it to the current location. In addition, during the episode when Abe Simpson regains his driver's license, and drives to Branson, Missouri. Lisa remarks "Branson is a thousand miles from here," which rules out any place in Missouri, counting out the fact the expression could have been an exaggeration. In "Homer: Bad Man," Abe hangs a 49-star American flag because he won't recognize Missouri.
  • 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. The same joke appears in the episode Homer vs. Dignity, where Mr. Burns is surprised to learn there is a 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.
  • North/South Dakota: In one episode the family discuss where they are still welcome in America, and one of the states is North Dakota. Bart then says "Alright! I've always wanted to see Mount Rushmore!" Marge then tells him that that's South Dakota, proving they don't live in South nor North Dakota.
  • 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". In "Bart Star," Hank Hill says "We drove 2000 miles for this?" suggesting they drove out of Texas to get to Springfield.
  • 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 Governor states that the state flag, which contains a Confederate flag in it, "is an embarrassment, 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, 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.

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

North Tacoma?

David Silverman, a director for the Simpsons, has claimed that Springfield is in the fictional state of "North Tacoma" (or "North Takoma"). This is substantiated by the state abbreviations NT and TA used within the show. However, this has never been officially confirmed in any canonical episode of The Simpsons or by other Simpsons producers. And on Homer's Driver License the state is NT and the zip code is 49007, which is a Kalamazoo, Michigan zip code.

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