Official: Where is Springfield from the Simpsons located?

[Five-Star]

With the release of the new Simpsons movie and it's premiere being in Springfield, Vermont. This gets to spark the wonderful argument of where in the US is the Springfield from the show. Obviously the creators and writers on the show want it to be "Anywhere USA" so people can relate. However if you watch many of the early seasons you can get a good feeling where they might actually be hinting. I say early episodes because after a certain point the entire thing contradicts itself. (i.e. West Springfield is twice the size of Texas, etc.)

My hypothesis is that it would be locatd somewhere on the East Coast, around the Maryland area. I'm from Illinois, so people look at me like I am insane since our state capital is Springfield.

Pros:
1. The Hurricane - Episode: "Hurricane Neddy ". You don't get those anywhere else, except the Atlantic coastline. There are no hurricanes in the Midwest or anywhere (except along the Gulf coast but those don't match up).

2. The relative close proximity the town is to Washington DC and New York City - Episode(s): The City of New York Vs. Homer Simpson, Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington, etc. IMHO Capital City could easily be another name for either Baltimore, Philly, or another large city in that area.

3. Springfield's relationship with shipping industry - Episode(s): El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage ofHomer), My Sister, My Sitter, etc. Springfield is located on a large waterfront, judging from the the size of the ships, an ocean. This would also explain the lighthouse in town as well. In The Old Man and the Lisa, Mr Burns creates a large net of pop tops and pulls in whales, squid, etc. all ocean creatures.

4. Branson, MO - Episode: "The Old Man and the Key" Lisa claims that Branson, MO is a thousand miles from Springfield. Branson is ~1000 miles from Baltimore as the crow flies.

5. The mountains - Episode(s) - King of the Hill, etc. Springfield is located next to/near a mountain range. For the East Coast, this could be the Appalachians. They also go skiing in one episode and Marge sprains (breaks?) her ankle.

6. Characters - This closer proximity to New England would explain the presence of Diamond Joe Quimby and his, er, um, Kennedy-esque voice. Also a closer relation to the south would explain Cletus Spuckler

7. The Navy - Episode(s): Simpson Tide, New Kids on the Blecch Homer leads a sub into Soviet waters, while appearing to go west in this effort, it could be a northeast direction which would take it into Soviet water. In the New Kids on the Blecch, LT Smash takes the ship to New York to destroy Mad Magazine, the ship is just outside of Springfield and takes very little time to get there.

Variance:
In Marge vs. the Monorail Marge is shown a shoddy map and told having a monorail put these towns on the map (Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, Brockway). She drives to North Haverbrook. The location of North Haverbrook is too far for her to reach and return in one day. While there is no specified time they are on the out of control train. It is impossible to make the trip in such a short period.



Sweets and Sour Marge - Homer states that the state south of the state Springfield is in, is Tennesee.

El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage ofHomer), Marge states that she knew Homer was walking west because that is the way the town slopes. A town on the East Coast is not going to slope west unless it's on the penninsulas of Maryland or Virginia (both possibilites)

The Springfield Gorge, Bart the Daredevil, more of a canyon and to my knowledge and experience, prevelant on the East Coast (I'd love to hear otherwise)

These are just a few reasons for and against why I feel that Springfield is on the East Coast and close to the Maryland area. Everyone has their own reasons and theories where this cartoon Atlantis lays. So tell us, where is it?