Springfield of "The Simpsons" lore is a non-descript American town with a small population and cast of quirky characters. Could it be that the creators of the show based their town on Springfield, Missouri? Quite possibly so. Though the mystery of the the show's true location is fiercely debated, there's no doubt that Springfield, Missouri is much like the 20 other Springfields in the country.

The one unique thing that this particular Springfield holds its own is its history in the Civil War. The city actually changed hands several times throughout the conflict, first as Union Territory, then Confederate, then Union once more. Several key battlegrounds can still be visited by the Civil War buff.

Another claim to noteriety is that Springfield, Missouri was the first place to have a classic Western showdown. In 1865, Wild Bill Hickok gunned down Dave Tutt over a gambling dispute.

The region has a rich religious background, most obvious by the presence of several baptist universities and colleges in the area. In a historical note, the lynching of three black men in 1905 for raping a white woman without proper establishments of guilt caused a mass exodus of African Americans from the region which has continued to this day.