Simpsons Creator Matt Groening Reveals Springfield's Location

Over the years, the question of exactly which Springfield is home to The Simpsons has been one that's preoccupied quite a bit of fans' attention--and show creator Matt Groening has just thrown a massive log on the fire. In an interview with Smithsonian Magazine, Groening says that he named the city after the fictional location of the sitcom Father Knows Best, and that the one he sees in his mind's eye is Springfield, Oregon, not far from where he grew up. "Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon," Groening said bluntly during the interview. "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." He also said that he enables that kind of reaction by just quietly confirming the suspicions of any fan that approaches him. Fans have been quick to point out that the Springfield of The Simpsons shares common traits with a number of other cities that go by the name--Sprinfield, Illinois, for example, is not far from the town of Shelbyville, which neighbors TV's Springfield. In 2007, however, while touring the country for The Simpsons Movie, Groening presented the city with a plaque naming it as the official Springfield of The Simpsons.