Springfield, Ore., Unveils Simpsons Mural

Springfield, Ore., finally has a public tribute to its most famous inhabitants. That would be Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

Today, the town took a break from FXX’s ongoing Simpsons marathon—which continues through Labor Day—to celebrate the completion of the 30-by-15-foot mural. According to Erik Nicolaisen, who owns the company that was commissioned to create mural, Simpsons creator and native Portlander Matt Groening was closely involved with the design.  

“After the first attempt at designing the mural, Groening said it needed to be more Oregon-specific, with beavers and indigenous plants,” Nicolaisen says. “He wanted an owl and Douglas fir trees. He was drawing on his childhood growing up in Oregon.”

Courtesy of Erik Nicolaisen

The mural, on the side of the Emerald Art Center in downtown Springfield, depicts Homer drinking beer in a hammock, Marge painting, Bart ready to drop a water balloon on his dad's head and Lisa toting Maggie on a bicycle. Nicolaisen was at the dedication ceremony—along with Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa, and Simpsons artist Julius Preite—and estimated there were a couple thousand people in attendance. Voodoo Donuts were served.

WWeek 2015