742 Evergreen Terrace
Encyclopedia
742 Evergreen Terrace is the fictional street address in Springfield
of the Simpson family
home in the animated television series, The Simpsons
and in the feature film The Simpsons Movie
. In the series the house is currently owned by Homer Simpson
. It is named after The Evergreen State College
, Matt Groening
's alma mater
.
To the left of the Simpsons' house (as seen from the street) is Ned Flanders
' house, at 744 Evergreen Terrace. The house on the right has been occupied by various owners, including Ruth and Laura Powers, Sideshow Bob
and the extended Flanders family (Ted Flanders and his daughters Connie and Bonnie). A real-life replica of the house was constructed at 712 Red Bark Lane in Henderson, Nevada
as part of a contest in 1997.
, and loft
. A suburban tract house
, the building is at least 50 feet (15.2 m) wide. The front door leads straight into the foyer where an arch to the left leads to the sitting room, and one to the right leads into the dining room
. There is also a small cupboard and stairs to the second floor. The sitting room and the dining room have bay window
s. At the back of the house is the living room
and the kitchen
. Also toward the house's rear are stairs to the basement, which are replaced by a closet in some episodes. Although rarely seen, there is also a hallway leading to a rumpus room
.
The second story of the house has the bedrooms, including Marge
and Homer's
bedroom (with an ensuite bathroom), Bart's
bedroom, Lisa's
bedroom, and Maggie's
bedroom. There is also a bathroom. often shown in inconsistent places in different episodes. On the landing, there is a hatch which leads to the attic. The episode Lisa's Wedding
, set fifteen years in the future, shows a wooden addition to the second floor, built (rather poorly) by Homer. It functions as a guest bedroom, but Homer warns Lisa and her fiancé that, "If the building inspector asks, it's not a room. It's a window box".
The back yard of the house is surrounded by a wooden picket fence
and a low box hedge
. It features a patio and Bart's treehouse, from which The Simpsons annual Halloween specials take their name. Occasionally, there is a hammock
tied to two trees near the fence that borders Ned Flanders' backyard.
statue of a head which was a present from Mr. Burns after Bart donated blood to him in "Blood Feud" However, the appearance of other features such as a furnace, ping-pong table, air hockey
set and water softener vary from episode to episode. The basement is often used as a "secret lair", where Homer has hidden after faking the kidnapping of Mr. Burns's son in "Burns, Baby Burns
", brewed alcohol to beat prohibition
in "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment
", hidden his superhero operation as Pie Man in "Simple Simpson
", and where Marge hid during a spell of agoraphobia
in "Strong Arms of the Ma
". Bart hinted in one episode that the basement has a problem with radon
gas then let a homeless man sleep there in "The Day the Violence Died
".
The house has two similar red sofas: One in the sitting room which is not seen in as many scenes as the well-known one in front of the TV in the living room — the current sofa is a replacement of the old one which was destroyed. A simple painting of a boat hangs on the wall above this couch. Marge said she painted it for Homer in "The Trouble with Trillions
", though in the episode "Diatribe of a Mad Housewife
", Marge reads a plaque saying that the painting was based on a scene from Moby Dick. In the episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
", Homer destroyed the painting over the couch and Marge retrieved a replica out of a closet. Behind the painting there was a safe containing a Twinkie
that's been there for ten years. A tank full of fish is sometimes seen in the sitting room, but it only seems to appear in episodes where it is prominent. In the Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror VI
" episode, there is a portal behind the bookcase in the sitting room that leads to the third dimension
. This is a reference to The Twilight Zone
episode, "Little Girl Lost". However, Treehouse of Horror episodes are not canonical
. In Treehouse of Horror IV
, the famous Dogs Playing Poker
painting appears above the sofa. Also, in the episode "Father Knows Worst
", a sauna has been revealed to be in the Simpsons' basement, behind the water heater. So far, only Marge and Homer have been shown to know its location.
", the kitchen was so badly damaged that it needed to be rebuilt. One running gag
shows the interior of the walls and floors filled with dangerous and unusual items when the camera pans between floors or rooms. Some of these unusual items include: asbestos
, toxic waste
, hidden treasure, recording devices, baby dinosaurs and dancing mice. Even the family cat, Snowball II, is seen between the walls from time to time. However, the lived-in spaces are usually kept neat by Marge
. In the episode "Homer's Enemy
" Frank Grimes - who lived in a single room above a bowling alley and below another bowling alley - described it as a "palace". In another episode
, Moe Szyslak
observed that it contained no silverfish
. Many episodes in which Springfield is hit by extreme heatwaves indicated that the home's air-conditioning system is either broken or nonexistent. In a flashback episode, Homer steals Ned Flanders' air-conditioner and installs it in his own house. The air-conditioner stolen from Flanders is a window unit, indicating that neither the Simpson nor Flanders residences have central air.
In The Simpsons Movie
, the house and all of the family's possessions are completely destroyed by a sink hole in Maggie's sandpit, which expands after the Simpsons escape through it and the Police shoot bullets into it. At the end of the film, the townsfolk and the family themselves rebuild the house in exactly the same manner as it was before, restoring the "status quo". The opening sequence and the couch gag of "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs
" shows the house still under construction, along with the whole town rebuilding after the events of the movie.
", "742 Evergreen Terrace" was assigned to a completely different house where Snake hides from the police and Rev. Lovejoy
lives next door.
The phone number is inconsistent between episodes, though always starting with 555
. According to "A Tale of Two Springfields
," the area code was 636 before the events of that episode and 939 thereafter.
at 712 Red Bark Lane in Henderson, Nevada
. The house was designed to closely mimic the design of the animated house in The Simpsons television series.
The $120,000 house was constructed for use as the grand prize in a contest known as "The Simpsons House Give Away", sponsored by Pepsi
, Fox
, and the homebuilder. The contest was announced on July 10, 1997. The rules of the contest stipulated that the winner either accept the house or a $75,000 cash payment. In addition, the winner of the house, if they chose to occupy it, was contractually obligated to repaint the exterior in accordance with local homeowner's association rules. Contest entries were included on various Pepsi products and 15 million were submitted nationally. The winner was Barbara Howard from Richmond, Kentucky
. Howard chose not to accept the house, instead taking a cash payment per the contest rules. In 2001, after removing most of the details relating to the television series the house was sold by the builder to another owner.
The house, located in was permanently named Springfield South Valley Ranch subdivision, took 49 days to build, and was unveiled to the public on August 1, 1997. Construction on the house was nearly complete by July 1997, and by September 1997 thousands of people were lining up to see the finished product. Between August 13, 1997 (when the home was first opened to the public) and September 1, 1997 20,000 people visited the house, in the end, more than 30,000 people visited The Simpsons House. The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening
, visited the house in September 1997.
for the video game, "Virtual Springfield
".
In preparation for the project the design team viewed episodes of The Simpsons to use as a guide for the home's design. Dozens of episodes were viewed so that the design was drawn directly from the animation. Early on it became clear that the cartoon house was not structurally sound; in the show the home has no load bearing walls. The finished replica, however, met all building codes. The architects focused their efforts on Bart's bedroom and the television room, making sure those rooms were as close to the reality of the series as possible. One of the challenges architects faced was the constantly changing nature of the onscreen house. For instance, the bay window has changed shape through the years.
When it was constructed the four-bedroom, two-story house was painted bright yellow and baby blue on its exterior, to resemble the exterior of 742 Evergreen Terrace. The house included exterior details from The Simpsons such as Bart's treehouse, a swing set, and a back yard barbecue. The 2200 square feet (204.4 m²) house also has two bathrooms, and two front bay windows, again, mimicking the cartoon house. The supervising architect characterized the house as "90 percent normal". For example, the first floor was concrete and the upstairs floor was sanded-down plywood that had been painted. The lot size necessitated the house be just 40 feet (12.2 m) wide, compared to the cartoon house, which is at least 50 feet (15.2 m) wide.
Before it was altered, the interior rooms were designed to mirror those in the series. The television room included the favorite spot of Simpson dad, Homer, the large sofa. On the wall, hung the distinctive sailboat painting. The living room had brightly painted walls, matching those in the series, and two-tone orange fireplace. The kitchen kept up the motif, featuring the checkered linoleum
floor. The house included 1,500 Simpsons-themed props, such as Duff Beer
cans, and the corn cob curtains in the kitchen. Some of the paint colors used on the interior included "Power Orange," "Generator Green," and "Pink Flamingo".
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
of the Simpson family
Simpson family
The Simpson family is a family of fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town...
home in the animated television series, The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and in the feature film The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
. In the series the house is currently owned by Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. It is named after The Evergreen State College
The Evergreen State College
The Evergreen State College is an accredited public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. It is located in Olympia, Washington, USA. Founded in 1967, Evergreen was formed to be an experimental and non-traditional college...
, Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
's alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
.
To the left of the Simpsons' house (as seen from the street) is Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
' house, at 744 Evergreen Terrace. The house on the right has been occupied by various owners, including Ruth and Laura Powers, Sideshow Bob
Sideshow Bob
Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale, a member of...
and the extended Flanders family (Ted Flanders and his daughters Connie and Bonnie). A real-life replica of the house was constructed at 712 Red Bark Lane in Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
as part of a contest in 1997.
Design
The house is a light pink two-story detached house with an attached garage, basementBasement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
, and loft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
. A suburban tract house
Tract housing
Tract housing is a style of housing development in which multiple similar homes are built on a tract of land which is subdivided into individual small lots...
, the building is at least 50 feet (15.2 m) wide. The front door leads straight into the foyer where an arch to the left leads to the sitting room, and one to the right leads into the dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
. There is also a small cupboard and stairs to the second floor. The sitting room and the dining room have bay window
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
s. At the back of the house is the living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
and the kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
. Also toward the house's rear are stairs to the basement, which are replaced by a closet in some episodes. Although rarely seen, there is also a hallway leading to a rumpus room
Recreation room
A recreation room is a room used for a variety of purposes, such as parties, games and other everyday or casual use. The term is common in the United States and Canada, but is less common in the United Kingdom where the preferred term is games room...
.
The second story of the house has the bedrooms, including Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Homer's
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
bedroom (with an ensuite bathroom), Bart's
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
bedroom, Lisa's
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
bedroom, and Maggie's
Maggie Simpson
Margaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
bedroom. There is also a bathroom. often shown in inconsistent places in different episodes. On the landing, there is a hatch which leads to the attic. The episode Lisa's Wedding
Lisa's Wedding
"Lisa's Wedding" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons sixth season, which originally aired March 19, 1995. The plot focuses around Lisa visiting a carnival fortune teller and learning about her future love. It was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Jim Reardon. Mandy Patinkin guest stars as...
, set fifteen years in the future, shows a wooden addition to the second floor, built (rather poorly) by Homer. It functions as a guest bedroom, but Homer warns Lisa and her fiancé that, "If the building inspector asks, it's not a room. It's a window box".
The back yard of the house is surrounded by a wooden picket fence
Picket fence
A picket fence is a variety of fence that has been used mostly for domestic boundaries. Until the introduction of advertising on fences in the 1980s, a Cricket field was also usually surrounded by a picket fence, giving rise to the expression rattling the pickets for a ball hit firmly into the...
and a low box hedge
Hedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...
. It features a patio and Bart's treehouse, from which The Simpsons annual Halloween specials take their name. Occasionally, there is a hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
tied to two trees near the fence that borders Ned Flanders' backyard.
Features and furniture
The basement always includes a washing machine and a clothes dryer and a large OlmecOlmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
statue of a head which was a present from Mr. Burns after Bart donated blood to him in "Blood Feud" However, the appearance of other features such as a furnace, ping-pong table, air hockey
Air hockey
Air hockey is a game for two competing players trying to score points in the opposing player's goal.-Equipment:Air hockey requires an air-hockey table, two player-held mallets, and a puck....
set and water softener vary from episode to episode. The basement is often used as a "secret lair", where Homer has hidden after faking the kidnapping of Mr. Burns's son in "Burns, Baby Burns
Burns, Baby Burns
"Burns, Baby Burns" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 17, 1996. Mr. Burns' long lost son Larry returns and although they at first get along well, Mr. Burns begins to see that his son has turned out to be an oaf. It was directed by Jim...
", brewed alcohol to beat prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment
Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment
"Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, which originally aired March 16, 1997. Prohibition is enacted in Springfield and Homer helps fight it by illegally supplying alcohol to the town. It was written by John Swartzwelder, and directed by Bob...
", hidden his superhero operation as Pie Man in "Simple Simpson
Simple Simpson
"Simple Simpson" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. The episode aired on May 2, 2004. The concept is mainly inspired by the 2002 Spider-Man movie, though it contains elements of other superheroes as well...
", and where Marge hid during a spell of agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
in "Strong Arms of the Ma
Strong Arms of the Ma
"Strong Arms of the Ma" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season which aired on February 2, 2003. It is the 300th episode to be broadcast.-Plot:...
". Bart hinted in one episode that the basement has a problem with radon
Radon
Radon is a chemical element with symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of uranium or thorium. Its most stable isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days...
gas then let a homeless man sleep there in "The Day the Violence Died
The Day the Violence Died
"The Day the Violence Died" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and originally aired on March 17, 1996. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Wesley Archer. Kirk Douglas guest stars as Chester J...
".
The house has two similar red sofas: One in the sitting room which is not seen in as many scenes as the well-known one in front of the TV in the living room — the current sofa is a replacement of the old one which was destroyed. A simple painting of a boat hangs on the wall above this couch. Marge said she painted it for Homer in "The Trouble with Trillions
The Trouble with Trillions
"The Trouble with Trillions" is the twentieth episode of the ninth season of the animated television series The Simpsons, which originally aired April 5, 1998. It was written by Ian Maxtone-Graham and directed by Swinton O. Scott III...
", though in the episode "Diatribe of a Mad Housewife
Diatribe of a Mad Housewife
"Diatribe of a Mad Housewife" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired January 25, 2004. Marge is inspired to write a romance novel, though after Homer hears rumors that Marge is secretly in love with Ned Flanders due to the storyline of the novel, he grows...
", Marge reads a plaque saying that the painting was based on a scene from Moby Dick. In the episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
"Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" is the eighth episode of Season 16 of The Simpsons. It is a Super Bowl themed episode that was broadcast after Super Bowl XXXIX.-Plot:...
", Homer destroyed the painting over the couch and Marge retrieved a replica out of a closet. Behind the painting there was a safe containing a Twinkie
Twinkie
The Twinkie is an American snack cake made and distributed by Hostess Brands. They are marketed as a "Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling".-History:...
that's been there for ten years. A tank full of fish is sometimes seen in the sitting room, but it only seems to appear in episodes where it is prominent. In the Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror VI
Treehouse of Horror VI
"Treehouse of Horror VI" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and the sixth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1995, and contains three self-contained segments...
" episode, there is a portal behind the bookcase in the sitting room that leads to the third dimension
Three-dimensional space
Three-dimensional space is a geometric 3-parameters model of the physical universe in which we live. These three dimensions are commonly called length, width, and depth , although any three directions can be chosen, provided that they do not lie in the same plane.In physics and mathematics, a...
. This is a reference to The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
episode, "Little Girl Lost". However, Treehouse of Horror episodes are not canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
. In Treehouse of Horror IV
Treehouse of Horror IV
"Treehouse of Horror IV" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fifth season and the fourth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 28, 1993, and features three short stories called "The Devil and Homer...
, the famous Dogs Playing Poker
Dogs Playing Poker
Dogs Playing Poker refers collectively to a series of sixteen oil paintings by C. M. Coolidge, commissioned in 1903 by Brown & Bigelow to advertise cigars...
painting appears above the sofa. Also, in the episode "Father Knows Worst
Father Knows Worst
"Father Knows Worst" is the eighteenth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 26, 2009. In the episode, Bart and Lisa start struggling in their academic and social lives at school and Homer starts monitoring them and...
", a sauna has been revealed to be in the Simpsons' basement, behind the water heater. So far, only Marge and Homer have been shown to know its location.
Condition
The house is often shown as dilapidated. For example, the walls are painted with lead paint, the roof leaks, and in "All's Fair in Oven WarAll's Fair in Oven War
"All's Fair in Oven War" is the second episode of The Simpsons sixteenth season, and originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 14, 2004. In the episode, Marge gets her kitchen remodeled and the dishes she make inside it get rave reviews...
", the kitchen was so badly damaged that it needed to be rebuilt. One running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
shows the interior of the walls and floors filled with dangerous and unusual items when the camera pans between floors or rooms. Some of these unusual items include: asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
, toxic waste
Toxic waste
Toxic waste is waste material that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It spreads quite easily and can contaminate lakes and rivers. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste”, or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment.Toxic waste...
, hidden treasure, recording devices, baby dinosaurs and dancing mice. Even the family cat, Snowball II, is seen between the walls from time to time. However, the lived-in spaces are usually kept neat by Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. In the episode "Homer's Enemy
Homer's Enemy
"Homer's Enemy" is the twenty-third episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on May 4, 1997. The episode's plot centers on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's hiring a new employee named...
" Frank Grimes - who lived in a single room above a bowling alley and below another bowling alley - described it as a "palace". In another episode
Secrets of a Successful Marriage
"Secrets of a Successful Marriage" is the twenty-second and final episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 19, 1994. In the episode, Homer fears he may be a little slow, so he goes to the adult education center...
, Moe Szyslak
Moe Szyslak
Momar / Morris "Moe" Szyslak is a fictional character in the American animated television series, The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"...
observed that it contained no silverfish
Silverfish
Lepisma saccharina, frequently called silverfish, fishmoths, carpet sharks or paramites, are small, wingless insects in the order Thysanura...
. Many episodes in which Springfield is hit by extreme heatwaves indicated that the home's air-conditioning system is either broken or nonexistent. In a flashback episode, Homer steals Ned Flanders' air-conditioner and installs it in his own house. The air-conditioner stolen from Flanders is a window unit, indicating that neither the Simpson nor Flanders residences have central air.
In The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, the house and all of the family's possessions are completely destroyed by a sink hole in Maggie's sandpit, which expands after the Simpsons escape through it and the Police shoot bullets into it. At the end of the film, the townsfolk and the family themselves rebuild the house in exactly the same manner as it was before, restoring the "status quo". The opening sequence and the couch gag of "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs
He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs
"He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs", also known as "He Loves to Fly", is the season premiere of The Simpsons’ nineteenth season and first aired on September 23, 2007. Homer gets to fly in Mr. Burns's private jet and likes it so much that he decides never to fly commercial again...
" shows the house still under construction, along with the whole town rebuilding after the events of the movie.
Address and phone number
The house's address was inconsistent in earlier seasons, with various house numbers on Evergreen Terrace including 1094, 1092, 59, 94, 430, 723, and 1024, as well as one address on a different street (430 Spalding Way). In "Homer's Triple BypassHomer's Triple Bypass
"Homer's Triple Bypass" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired in the United States on December 17, 1992. In the episode, Homer Simpson suffers a heart attack when Mr. Burns shouts at him at work. Dr...
", "742 Evergreen Terrace" was assigned to a completely different house where Snake hides from the police and Rev. Lovejoy
Reverend Timothy Lovejoy
Reverend Timothy "Tim" Lovejoy is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Lovejoy is the minister at The First Church of Springfield—the Protestant church in Springfield which most of...
lives next door.
The phone number is inconsistent between episodes, though always starting with 555
555 telephone number
Telephone numbers with the prefix 555 are widely used for fictitious telephone numbers in North American television shows, films, computer games, and other media....
. According to "A Tale of Two Springfields
A Tale of Two Springfields
"A Tale of Two Springfields" is the second episode from season twelve of the animated TV series The Simpsons and is the 250th episode of the series overall in both broadcast and production order. The episode originally premiered November 5, 2000 on Fox Broadcasting Company.The episode was written...
," the area code was 636 before the events of that episode and 939 thereafter.
History
A replica of the house at 742 Evergreen Terrace, known as The Simpsons House, was constructed in 1997 by California-based Kaufman and Broad homebuildersKB Home
KB Home is a homebuilding company based in the United States, founded in 1957 as Kaufman & Broad in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first company to be traded on the NYSE as a home builder and is a Fortune 500 company...
at 712 Red Bark Lane in Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
. The house was designed to closely mimic the design of the animated house in The Simpsons television series.
The $120,000 house was constructed for use as the grand prize in a contest known as "The Simpsons House Give Away", sponsored by Pepsi
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, and the homebuilder. The contest was announced on July 10, 1997. The rules of the contest stipulated that the winner either accept the house or a $75,000 cash payment. In addition, the winner of the house, if they chose to occupy it, was contractually obligated to repaint the exterior in accordance with local homeowner's association rules. Contest entries were included on various Pepsi products and 15 million were submitted nationally. The winner was Barbara Howard from Richmond, Kentucky
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
. Howard chose not to accept the house, instead taking a cash payment per the contest rules. In 2001, after removing most of the details relating to the television series the house was sold by the builder to another owner.
The house, located in was permanently named Springfield South Valley Ranch subdivision, took 49 days to build, and was unveiled to the public on August 1, 1997. Construction on the house was nearly complete by July 1997, and by September 1997 thousands of people were lining up to see the finished product. Between August 13, 1997 (when the home was first opened to the public) and September 1, 1997 20,000 people visited the house, in the end, more than 30,000 people visited The Simpsons House. The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
, visited the house in September 1997.
Design
The Simpsons House was designed by Kaufman and Broad homebuilders. The primary designer was Mike Woodley, Senior Vice President of Architecture at KB Home. Manny Gonzalez was the project's supervising architect. The project was first conceived when designers were working on 3D-visualizations at Fox InteractiveFox Interactive
20th Century Fox Games is a video game publisher and developer mainly concerned with titles based on 20th Century Fox properties, such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, the Alien and Predator film franchises, Independence Day, Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Avatar, 24, the...
for the video game, "Virtual Springfield
Virtual Springfield
The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield is a Windows and Macintosh computer game released in 1997 and published by Fox Interactive. It lets players to explore the fictional town Springfield featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, and the goal is to collect an entire set of character...
".
In preparation for the project the design team viewed episodes of The Simpsons to use as a guide for the home's design. Dozens of episodes were viewed so that the design was drawn directly from the animation. Early on it became clear that the cartoon house was not structurally sound; in the show the home has no load bearing walls. The finished replica, however, met all building codes. The architects focused their efforts on Bart's bedroom and the television room, making sure those rooms were as close to the reality of the series as possible. One of the challenges architects faced was the constantly changing nature of the onscreen house. For instance, the bay window has changed shape through the years.
When it was constructed the four-bedroom, two-story house was painted bright yellow and baby blue on its exterior, to resemble the exterior of 742 Evergreen Terrace. The house included exterior details from The Simpsons such as Bart's treehouse, a swing set, and a back yard barbecue. The 2200 square feet (204.4 m²) house also has two bathrooms, and two front bay windows, again, mimicking the cartoon house. The supervising architect characterized the house as "90 percent normal". For example, the first floor was concrete and the upstairs floor was sanded-down plywood that had been painted. The lot size necessitated the house be just 40 feet (12.2 m) wide, compared to the cartoon house, which is at least 50 feet (15.2 m) wide.
Before it was altered, the interior rooms were designed to mirror those in the series. The television room included the favorite spot of Simpson dad, Homer, the large sofa. On the wall, hung the distinctive sailboat painting. The living room had brightly painted walls, matching those in the series, and two-tone orange fireplace. The kitchen kept up the motif, featuring the checkered linoleum
Linoleum
Linoleum is a floor covering made from renewable materials such as solidified linseed oil , pine rosin, ground cork dust, wood flour, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a burlap or canvas backing; pigments are often added to the materials.The finest linoleum floors,...
floor. The house included 1,500 Simpsons-themed props, such as Duff Beer
Duff Beer
Daleside is an independent brewery founded in 1988 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.-Products:Daleside produce a wide range of beers, including Morocco Ale, a traditional spiced beer based on an Elizabethan recipe; Old Legover, a low abv Old Ale ; Monkey Wrench, a stronger Old Ale; Ripon...
cans, and the corn cob curtains in the kitchen. Some of the paint colors used on the interior included "Power Orange," "Generator Green," and "Pink Flamingo".