In 2014 Simpsons creator Matt Groening finally revealed that the Springfield in Oregon was the Springfield he had in mind when he created his cartoon family, dashing the hopes of more famous Springfields in Massachusetts and Illinois. The Oregon town now provides maps to some of the local sights, such as the statue on which Jebediah Springfield is based and the bar that inspired Moe's Tavern.
The most colorful photo-op is a 15x30-foot mural downtown, painted with the assistance of Twentieth Century Fox artist Julius Preite. Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson) presided over its dedication.
