Springfield (toponym)

History

Historically, the first American place named Springfield was Springfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1636 by William Pynchon, an early American colonist. Pynchon named Springfield after his hometown in England, Springfield, Essex. Springfield, Massachusetts, became nationally important in 1777, when George Washington founded the United States' National Armory at Springfield. During the 19th century, Springfield became one of the world's leading centers of the Industrial Revolution, pioneering advances in interchangeable parts. Springfield, Illinois and Springfield, Missouri, among other American cities and towns named Springfield, were named after Springfield, Massachusetts.

Major centers

As of the 2020 census, Springfield, Missouri, and Springfield, Massachusetts, were the world's most populous cities named Springfield, with 169,176 and 155,929 residents, respectively. Springfield, Illinois, the one-time home of Abraham Lincoln, is the only U.S. state capital with the name. As of 2020, it had a population of 114,394.

In the United States, there are four Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri and Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the most populous was the one in Massachusetts, which had 699,162 residents.

In contemporary culture

The television show The Simpsons is set in a town generically named "Springfield", without indicating a state. Creator Matt Groening has suggested in interviews that he chose the name because of its ubiquity; the show's intentionally contradictory information about the location of the town prevents matching the fictional Springfield to a real one. Groening revealed in 2012 the town referred to Springfield, Oregon, which is close to his hometown of Portland.

A "Springfield" was also the setting of the early 1950s radio and television program, Father Knows Best, as well as the 1950s soap opera The Guiding Light, which continued as the CBS soap opera Guiding Light through 2009.

Locations Named Springfield

References

References

1. [https://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/faqs.htm USGS GNIS FAQ], 12. What is the most frequently occurring community (city, town, village, etc.) name in the United States?
2. ""The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening reveals location of Springfield".
3. Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024".
4. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2022-02-09). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)".
5. "2021 Springfield (Tas.), Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics".
6. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2022-02-09). "Add/Remove data - Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places".