I agree with everyone who has said that Springfield is just a fictional town, because it is. It is a total compilation of many different cities in many different states. There have been some very strong clues in some early seasons that it was in Oregon or Northern California, one such episode when they are moving "upstate" so Homer could work for that terrorist. They are driving through a forest and Lisa explicitly says that they are driving through a Redwood forest, and the only place on Earth where Redwood forests exist is California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia (Canada). If you were to speculate, there isn't enough rain for it be in western Washington, and also not enough snow to be in Washington period. If it were the coast in Oregon it would make sense... lack of snow, not as much rain as further north, potential for hurricanes, mountains on the coast, ocean, plus desert in the interior of the state. So I think Matt strongly designed the show after his home state or just slightly outside (northern California).... however, there was one episode where the 'camera' pans out and up into space and it lifts off right around the Louisiana coast, but we know it isn't fashioned after the gulf coast.
As many clues as there are, it's pretty cool to think that it really is just Springfield Anystate. There is a little bit of everything in there, that's what makes the show so much fun. And yes, the writers like to mess with everyone, as many times there have been different state abbreviations inserted after Springfield on drivers licenses and newspapers.
But if I were to surmise... I would have to say Oregon, there are just too many similarities. Nobody has an accent (except Cletus), it is mostly a white (yellow) population, not particularly religious, has a small presence of an Italian community and is also attractive to immigrants (Apu, Kookie Kwan), a mild climate where it doesn't really get hot or cold... you see the 'generic" face that the writers have given the town?
But I still stand behind the whole Redwood forest thing.....
Comment
I agree with everyone who has said that Springfield is just a fictional town, because it is. It is a total compilation of many different cities in many different states. There have been some very strong clues in some early seasons that it was in Oregon or Northern California, one such episode when they are moving "upstate" so Homer could work for that terrorist. They are driving through a forest and Lisa explicitly says that they are driving through a Redwood forest, and the only place on Earth where Redwood forests exist is California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia (Canada). If you were to speculate, there isn't enough rain for it be in western Washington, and also not enough snow to be in Washington period. If it were the coast in Oregon it would make sense... lack of snow, not as much rain as further north, potential for hurricanes, mountains on the coast, ocean, plus desert in the interior of the state. So I think Matt strongly designed the show after his home state or just slightly outside (northern California).... however, there was one episode where the 'camera' pans out and up into space and it lifts off right around the Louisiana coast, but we know it isn't fashioned after the gulf coast.
As many clues as there are, it's pretty cool to think that it really is just Springfield Anystate. There is a little bit of everything in there, that's what makes the show so much fun. And yes, the writers like to mess with everyone, as many times there have been different state abbreviations inserted after Springfield on drivers licenses and newspapers.
But if I were to surmise... I would have to say Oregon, there are just too many similarities. Nobody has an accent (except Cletus), it is mostly a white (yellow) population, not particularly religious, has a small presence of an Italian community and is also attractive to immigrants (Apu, Kookie Kwan), a mild climate where it doesn't really get hot or cold... you see the 'generic" face that the writers have given the town?
But I still stand behind the whole Redwood forest thing.....