Springfield, Oregon is believed to be the famous typical American town behind the acclaimed Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation's The Simpsons.
Take a self-guided and unofficial Simpsons tour around the city. Snap a photo with a life-sized Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie at the Springfield Museum. And see the new Simpsons mural on 5th and Main St.
Pioneers first rolled into Springfield in 1848, choosing the location based on spring water and pasture land. The city was incorporated in 1885. The Washburne Historic District was named after a banker and miller C.W. Washburne and comprises 84 acres (34 ha) adjacent to downtown Springfield. The neighborhood was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Author Ken Kesey ("One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest") attended Springfield High School and a mural honoring him can be found downtown on Main Street in Springfield. Surrounding the mural are plenty of charming eateries and shops.
Learn more about the city's colorful past at the Springfield Museum's Historic Springfield Interpretive Center and immerse yourself in the Dorris Ranch Living History Farm, the nation's oldest commercial filbert (hazelnut) farm in continuous operation.
The Gateway Area
This Springfield neighborhood, right off Interstate 5, offers a high density of hotels, restaurants and shopping. Eugene residents enjoy close proximity to Springfield's The Shoppes at Gateway, two of the region's top hospitals (McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend) and the community's extensive recreational sports and swimming center, Willamalane Park and Recreation District.
Likewise, Springfield residents have easy access to many of Eugene's amenities, from the UO's Autzen Stadium and Matthew Knight Arena to Alton Baker Park and Oakway Shopping Center. Connected by miles of beautiful bike paths, the public bus system and the efficient EmX line; traveling between the two communities is a seamless experience.
