"The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening reveals location of Springfield

The Simpsons in front of their home: Lisa, Marge, Maggie, Homer and Bart.

/ AP

(CBS News) For 23 seasons, "The Simpsons" have lived at 742 Evergreen Terrace in Springfield. But it was never specified which of the nation's many Springfields they called home.

Now, series creator Matt Groening has spilled the beans on where Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and the rest of the gang reside.

"Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon," Groening told Smithsonian magazine in its May issue. "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. 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."

Groening added that he never revealed Springfield's location because he didn't want to spoil it for fans.

"I don't want to ruin it for people, you know?" he said in the interview. "Whenever people say it's Springfield, Ohio, or Springfield, Massachusetts, or Springfield, wherever, I always go, "Yup, that's right."

The show, which premiered in 1989, has made a running joke of hiding Springfield's true location.

[vtsoutherngal]

Living in Springfield, VT, I personally don't care if Oregon takes it back... I never liked being associated with that show anyway

[jesteroftortuga]

http://en.simpsons-live.net/saison-11/episode-22_Derriere_les_rires/megavideo
Watch at 19:15, says they're from Northern Kentucky! So which was is it Matt Groening?

[Surazeus]

Around 1997, I learned Matt Groening and grown up in Portland, Oregon, where I was born, so I new right than that their hometown was Springfield, Oregon. It became obvious in the episode where Marge buys a game sponsored by Vincent Price, but it is missing something, so she calls a number on the phone, and while giving her address she says, "Springfield, O... Hiya, Helen." Making it sound like she said Ohio was a diversion from one of only two other state starting with an O in the name, Oregon, where he grew up.

[NinthSt78]

They really fooled me on that one. I thought it was the Springfield next to Rochester in the Land of Lincoln.

[ihazpowrz]

After over a decade of The Simpsons being irrelevant and not funny the bombshell drops. Your fans left long ago. No one cares.

[honestabe8]

who pi$$ed in your corn flakes this morning?

[Mathion]

The "location" in the headline is misleading. It's named after Springfield Oregon. It doesn't mean that's the Springfield in the show.

It could have been called Dallas and everyone would assume that was Texas. But there are several Dallas', including one in Oregon.

So the rationale for naming the town is given, but that doesn't mean the town in the show is Springfield Oregon.

[TogetherinParis]

Groening is a filthy liar. As a favor to Stevie Spielberg who sent these lamebrains to me, I named the show, placed it in Springfield IL, named the main characters, set the rules for the characters (no aging over time, no unfaithfulness in the family, etc.). When their movie's story dead-ended I was called in to fix everything, dictating the story for most of the flick.

[thelovegod]

You mean it's not Springfield Missouri? That just leaves them with Brad Pitt. Bummer.

[xexon]

Those of us who live in the Pacific NW have known this all along.

Vermont indeed...


x

[vincentbill]

This is probably yet another 'tease' by Matt, which is just fine. The whole thing is quite fun.

[Live_It_Up]

As a former resident of said town, I can say that no homes in Springfield OR look as nice as the ones on the Simpsons.

[vincentbill]

Nope...many of them are far nicer. You must have lived in the "bad part of town". :)

[Observer2012]

They did a good job at making it ambiguous since they also used other Springfields for geographic and topographical locations -- for example -- there is a Shelbyville close to Springfield, Illinois and there is also a National City in Illinois... the land of cartoon animation where anything is possible.