The Simpsons house

{{short description|Fictional street address in Springfield of the Simpson family home}} {{Use American English|date=July 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox fictional location | name = 742 Evergreen Terrace | image = 742 Evergreen Terrace.png | image_size = 250px | caption = The exterior, as seen in the episode "[[Beyond Blunderdome]]" (1999) | series = [[The Simpsons]] | alt_name = The Simpsons' house | first="[[Good Night (The Simpsons)|Good Night]]" (1987) | creator = [[Matt Groening]] | type = Residential house | located_in = [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], United States | characters = [[Homer Simpson]] [[Marge Simpson]] [[Bart Simpson]] [[Lisa Simpson]] [[Maggie Simpson]] [[Santa's Little Helper]] Snowball II }}

'''The Simpsons house''' is the residence of the [[Simpson family]] in the animated sitcom ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and its film adaptation ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''. The house's address is most frequently attributed as 742 Evergreen Terrace. In the series, the house is occupied by [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]] and their three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].

To the left of the Simpsons' house (as seen from the street) is [[Ned Flanders]]' house.<ref name=":0">[https://web.archive.org/web/20040405111216/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season9/page9.shtml BBC – Cult – The Simpsons: Season Nine Episode Guide – Realty Bites]{{full citation needed|date=February 2023}}</ref><ref name=RealtyBitesDVD>{{cite video |date=2006 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Realty Bites" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The house to the right has been occupied by numerous owners in different episodes including [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#The Winfields|Mr. and Mrs. Winfield]], [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Ruth Powers|Ruth]] and [[Laura Powers]], [[Sideshow Bob]], and the extended Flanders family.

The street name is in reference to series creator [[Matt Groening]]'s childhood street in [[Portland, Oregon]]. The house's address was inconsistent in earlier seasons, with the address being given various numbers on Evergreen Terrace, and one address on a different street.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bekman |first=Stas |date=February 20, 2009 |title=11 What is the Simpsons' home address? |url=https://stason.org/TULARC/tv/simpsons/11-What-is-the-Simpsons-home-address.html |access-date = June 29, 2009 |work=Stason.org}}</ref>

In 1997, a real-life replica of the house was constructed at 712 Red Bark Lane in [[Henderson, Nevada]], and given away as the grand prize in a contest, though the winner chose a cash option instead of the house.<ref name=lahona />

== In-universe == The house's first chronological appearance is in the flashback episode "[[Lisa's First Word]]", when Homer and Marge purchase it. The house was auctioned to [[Ned Flanders]] in "[[No Loan Again, Naturally]]" and since then leased to the Simpsons.

In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', the house and all of the family's possessions are completely destroyed by a [[sinkhole]] under Maggie's sandbox, which expands after the Simpsons escape through it and the police fire their service weapons 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]]", the first episode to air after the release of the film, show the house still under construction, along with the whole town rebuilding after the film's events.

== Design == The Simpsons house is shown as a light pink or light brown two-story [[detached house]] with an attached garage, [[basement]], and [[loft]]. A [[tract housing|suburban tract house]],<ref name=lahona /> the building is at least {{convert|50|ft|m}} wide.<ref name=sixth /> The arched front door leads directly into the foyer where an arch to the left leads to the [[sitting room]], and one to the right leads into the [[dining room]]. In some episodes, such as "[[Opposites A-Frack]]", there is a half bathroom in the foyer. There is also a small cupboard and stairs to the second floor. The sitting room and the dining room both feature [[bay window]]s. At the back of the house is the [[living room]] and the [[kitchen]]. Towards the house's rear are stairs to the basement, which are replaced by a closet in some episodes. Though rarely seen, there is also a hallway off the kitchen leading to a [[recreation room]].<ref>"[[Three Men and a Comic Book]]", "[[Lady Bouvier's Lover]]", "[[Brother from the Same Planet]]", and "[[White Christmas Blues]]"</ref>

The second story of the house features [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] and [[Homer Simpson|Homer's]] bedroom (with an [[ensuite bathroom]]), [[Bart Simpson|Bart's]] bedroom, [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa's]] bedroom, [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie's]] bedroom, and a bathroom. On the landing, there is a hatch that leads to the attic.

The backyard of the house is surrounded by a wooden [[picket fence]] and a low [[hedge|box hedge]]. It features a patio and Bart's treehouse, from which the [[Treehouse of Horror|"Treehouse of Horror" Halloween specials]] take their name. Occasionally, there is a [[hammock]] tied to two trees near the fence that borders Ned Flanders's backyard.

The house floor plan used by writers in the 1990s was shared by former Simpsons writer Josh Weinstein.<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1255163988163215360 |title=Simpsons House Blueprints, circa 1990 (I should qualify this by saying we treated the locations of rooms as totally changeable, depending on the requirements of the scene. But this is nonetheless fun for Simpsons completists.) |user=Joshstrangehill |author=Josh Weinstein |access-date = November 12, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

The most commonly used address for the Simpsons' house is 742 Evergreen Terrace, however other addresses have been provided. Episodes "[[Blood Feud (The Simpsons)|Blood Feud]]" and "[[Bart the Lover]]" give the address as 94 Evergreen Terrace, "[[Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington]]" gives it as 59 Evergreen Terrace, "[[Homer the Vigilante]]" as 723 Evergreen Terrace, "[[New Kid on the Block|New Kid On the Block]]" as 1094 Evergreen Terrace, and "[[Kamp Krusty]]" as 430 Spalding Way (theorised to be a reference to actor and playwright [[Spalding Gray]]).<ref name=":1" />

== Features and furniture == The basement always includes a washing machine, a clothes dryer, and, after the episode "[[Blood Feud (The Simpsons)|Blood Feud]]", a large [[Olmec]] statue of a head which was a present from [[Mr. Burns]] given to Bart in that episode. The appearance of other features such as a furnace, [[ping-pong]] table, [[air hockey]] set, and [[water softener]] varies from episode to episode.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} The basement is often used as a "[[secret lair]]", where Homer hides after faking the kidnapping of Mr. Burns's son in "[[Burns, Baby Burns]]", brews alcohol to beat [[prohibition]] in "[[Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment]]", hides his superhero operation as Pie Man in "[[Simple Simpson]]", and where Marge hides during a spell of [[agoraphobia]] in "[[Strong Arms of the Ma]]". Bart hints in one episode that the basement has a problem with [[radon]] gas, then lets a homeless man sleep there in "[[The Day the Violence Died]]". It is revealed in the episode "[[Father Knows Worst]]" that there is a sauna behind the water heater that was covered up by paint and dust, but which Marge accidentally found.

A simple painting of a boat hangs on the wall above the living room couch. Marge says she painted it for Homer in "[[The Trouble with Trillions]]". In the episode "[[Diatribe of a Mad Housewife]]", the painting has a plaque saying it was based on a scene from ''Moby Dick''. In the Season 27 episode "[[Barthood]]", young Lisa is seen drawing the sail boat painting. In the episode "[[Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass]]", Homer destroys the painting over the couch and Marge retrieves a replica out of a closet. The painting is also destroyed by Lisa's guinea pig in "[[The War of Art (The Simpsons)|The War of Art]]" but it gets replaced with a replica made by a famous art forger.

In the "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]" episode, a ''[[Dogs Playing Poker]]'' painting appears above the sofa. In "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", there is a portal behind the bookcase in the sitting room that leads to the [[three-dimensional space|third dimension]], a reference to ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[Little Girl Lost (The Twilight Zone)|Little Girl Lost]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} However, Treehouse of Horror episodes are not [[Canon (fiction)|canonical]].

== Condition == The house is often shown as dilapidated. For example, the walls are painted with lead paint and the roof leaks. In "[[All's Fair in Oven War]]", the kitchen receives an extensive modern remodel, but it reverts to its previous appearance in the following episode. One [[running gag]] shows the interior of the walls and floors filled with dangerous or 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, dancing mice and the family cat, Snowball II. However, the lived-in spaces are usually kept neat by [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]. In one episode [[Moe Szyslak]] observes that it contains no [[silverfish]].

Many episodes in which Springfield is hit by extreme heat waves indicate that the house lacks air conditioning. In a flashback episode, Homer steals Ned Flanders' air conditioner and puts it in the window. The house is shown to have a gas furnace, as well as a gas stove, water heater, and dryer. In "[[Days of Wine and D'oh'ses]]", Homer reroutes the gas line to turn a totem pole into a fire-breathing "god," filling the entire house with gas in the process.

== Real-life version == {{Infobox Historic building | name = The Simpsons House | image = The Simpsons house.jpg | caption = The house in 2007, after having been remodeled to remove details relating to the television series | pushpin_map = | latitude = | longitude = | location_town = 712 Red Bark Lane, [[Henderson, Nevada|Henderson]] 89011 | location_country = United States | architect = Michael Woodley, Manny Gonzalez | client = Barbara Howard (Contest Winner) | engineer = | construction_start_date = May–June 1997 | completion_date = July 1997 | demolished_date = | cost = | structural_system = | architectural_style = | size = 2,200 square feet }}

A replica of the house was constructed in 1997 by California-based [[KB Home|Kaufman and Broad homebuilders]] at 712 Red Bark Lane in [[Henderson, Nevada]].<ref name=lahona>{{cite news |last=Moreno |first=Rich |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130127180710/http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20081108/NEWS01/811089985/1024/NONE&parentprofile=1049&title=TV%92s%20Simpson%92s%20family%20lives%20in%20Henderson! |archive-date = January 27, 2013 |url=http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20081108/NEWS01/811089985/1024/NONE&parentprofile=1049&title=TV%92s%20Simpson%92s%20family%20lives%20in%20Henderson! |title=TV's Simpson's family lives in Henderson! |newspaper=Lahona Valley News |date=November 8, 2008 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref><ref name=alberti>{{cite book |last=Alberti |first=John |title=Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6vZJnxK1XYC&dq=Simpsons+HOuse+Henderson&pg=PA43 |via=Google Books |publisher=Wayne State University Press |year=2003 |page=43 |isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}</ref> The house was designed to closely mimic the design of the house in the series.<ref name=lahona />

The $120,000 house was constructed for use as the grand prize in a contest known as "The Simpsons House Give Away",<ref name=pr /> sponsored by [[PepsiCo|Pepsi]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], and the homebuilder.<ref name=alberti /> The contest was announced on July 10, 1997.<ref name=pr>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com.au/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/7-10-97/273726&EDATE= |title=Fox, Pepsi-Cola and Kaufman and Broad Partner to Produce the Largest Promotion In Fox History: 'THE SIMPSONS House Giveaway' |publisher=[[Kaufman and Broad Home Corporation]] |via=[[PRnewswire]] |date=July 10, 1997 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref> 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 the local homeowner's association rules.<ref name=metropolis /> Contest entries were included on various Pepsi products and 15 million were submitted nationally.<ref name=lahona /> The winner was Barbara Howard from [[Richmond, Kentucky]].<ref name=latimes>{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Patricia Dane |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-21-ls-10342-story.html |title=Doh! She Won the Simpson House, but It's Too Far From Home |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=January 21, 1998 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref> Howard chose not to accept the house, instead taking a cash payment per the contest rules.<ref name=latimes /> In 2001, after most of the details relating to the television series were removed, the house was sold by the builder to another owner.<ref name=lahona />

The house, located in a subdivision that was permanently named "Springfield South Valley Ranch",<ref name=lahona /> took 49 days to build and was unveiled to the public on August 1, 1997.<ref name=metropolis /><ref name=aw /> Construction on the house was nearly complete by July 1997,<ref name=carter>{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Geoff |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/1997/jul/18/homer-comes-home-to-henderson/ |title=Homer comes home to Henderson |newspaper=[[Las Vegas Sun]] |date=July 18, 1997 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref> and by September 1997 thousands of people were lining up to see the finished product.<ref name=dickensheets>{{cite news |last=Dickensheets |first=Scott |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/1997/sep/08/thousands-lining-up-to-see-simpsons-house/ |title=Thousands lining up to see 'Simpsons' house |date=September 8, 1997 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref> During the time it was open to the public in August and September 1997, more than 30,000 people visited the house,<ref name=lahona /> including ''The Simpsons'' creator [[Matt Groening]].<ref name=dickensheets2>{{cite news |last=Dickensheets |first=Scott |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/1997/sep/17/mr-groening-signs-his-dream-house/ |title=Mr. Groening signs his dream house |newspaper=Las Vegas Sun |date=September 17, 1997 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref>

=== Design === The Simpsons House was designed by Kaufman and Broad homebuilders. The idea for a replica of the Simpsons house was first conceived when game designers were working on 3D visualizations at [[Fox Interactive]] for the 1997 video game ''[[The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield]]''.<ref name="aw">{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Wendy |url=http://mag.awn.com/?article_no=689&ltype=acrmag |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130117194228/http://mag.awn.com/?article_no=689&ltype=acrmag |archive-date = January 17, 2013 |title=Springfield, Nevada |work=Animation World |date=October 1, 1997 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref>

In preparation for the project the design team viewed episodes of ''The Simpsons'' to use as a guide for the home's design.<ref name=metropolis /> Dozens of episodes were viewed so that the design was drawn directly from the animation.<ref name=sixth /> Early on it became clear that the cartoon house was not structurally sound; in the show the home has no load-bearing walls.<ref name=carter /> The finished replica, however, met all building codes.<ref name=carter /> 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.<ref name=metropolis />

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.<ref name=lahona /> The house included exterior details from ''The Simpsons'' such as Bart's treehouse, a swing set, and a back yard barbecue.<ref name=lahona /> The {{convert|2200|sqft|m2|adj=on}} house also has two bathrooms, and two front bay windows, again mimicking the cartoon house.<ref name=latimes /> The lot size necessitated the house be just {{convert|40|ft|m}} wide, compared to the cartoon house, which is at least {{convert|50|ft|m}} wide.<ref name="sixth">{{Cite web |first=Jake |last=Rossen |date=July 26, 2018 |title=Home Sweet Homer: The Strange Saga of the Real-Life Simpsons House in Nevada |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/549440/real-life-the-simpsons-house-nevada |access-date = February 7, 2022 |website=Mental Floss |language=en}}</ref>

Before it was altered, the interior rooms were designed to mirror those in the series. The television room included a large sofa. The living room had brightly painted walls, matching those in the series, and a two-tone orange fireplace. The kitchen featured a checkered [[linoleum]] floor.<ref name=lahona /> The house included 1,500 Simpsons-themed props, such as [[Duff Beer]] cans and the corn cob curtains in the kitchen.<ref name=metropolis /> Some of the paint colors used on the interior included "Power Orange", "Generator Green", and "Pink Flamingo".<ref name=metropolis>{{cite magazine |last=Ricapito |first=Maria |url=http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_0198/ja98sim.htm |title=Keeping up with The Simpsons |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070622105255/http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_0198/ja98sim.htm |archive-date = June 22, 2007 |magazine=[[Metropolis (American magazine)|Metropolis]] |date=December 1997 – January 1998 |access-date = March 26, 2009}}</ref>

The team's goal was to be 90 percent normal, with occasional lapses into cartoon continuity. Door frames were widened and lengthened to accommodate Marge's hair and Homer's girth. The stairs leading to the second floor were slightly steeper than normal. The downstairs floor was poured and painted concrete rather than hardwood or carpet, the better to mimic the show's flat colors. Bart's treehouse was erected in the backyard.

To achieve a lived-in look, Hollywood production designer and photographer Rick Floyd accentuated the home with details with the aim to impress series creator Matt Groening and die-hard fans alike. Floyd hung corn cob-patterned curtains in the kitchen; Bart's bedroom closet held a row of identical shirts and shorts; mouse holes were painted on the walls near the floor; Lisa's saxophone leaned against her bed. Floyd painted an oil stain in the driveway, a nod to Homer's lack of automotive maintenance, and also flagged down a vehicle he saw while driving and offered the owner $700 for it. Painted purple, it was a perfect match for the Simpsons' family car.<ref name="sixth" />

== References == {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpsons house}} [[Category:The Simpsons locations|House]] [[Category:Fictional houses]] [[Category:Fictional story elements introduced in 1987]]

[[it:Luoghi de I Simpson#742 Evergreen Terrace]]