After more than 20 years of speculation, Simpsons creator Matt Groening confirmed the real life location that served as the inspiration for the fictional Springfield in his long running cartoon.  Groening told Smithsonian Magazine that Springfield, Oregon is the real life Springfield.

According to Groening:

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. 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.

In honor of Groening's revelation I think we should all take a listen to Bart and Millhouse's touching tribute to their hometown!

 

 

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