Where Are They? Ozarks? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

CosmicCharlie · 03-01-2020, 10:04 PM

WORKING TITLES FOR THE SERIES INCLUDED 'OZARK WIDOW' AND 'DERN TOOTIN''

It is never stated where exactly the Shady Rest Hotel is. Hooterville is a fake location, while Pixley is tiny town in California. A good guess is Missouri, as one of the original titles of the series was Ozark Widow, not to mention the fact that Paul Henning's wife would entertain him with tales of her grandfather's hotel in Missouri. Other working titles included Dern Tootin' and Whistle Stop. Petticoat Junction was the better option — even if it is not technically a junction.

The Ozarks cover a significant portion of northern Arkansas and most of the southern half of Missouri, extending from Interstate 40 in Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri. There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri.

GentlemanJim · 11-02-2020, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

WORKING TITLES FOR THE SERIES INCLUDED 'OZARK WIDOW' AND 'DERN TOOTIN''

It is never stated where exactly the Shady Rest Hotel is. Hooterville is a fake location, while Pixley is tiny town in California. A good guess is Missouri, as one of the original titles of the series was Ozark Widow, not to mention the fact that Paul Henning's wife would entertain him with tales of her grandfather's hotel in Missouri. Other working titles included Dern Tootin' and Whistle Stop. Petticoat Junction was the better option — even if it is not technically a junction.

The Ozarks cover a significant portion of northern Arkansas and most of the southern half of Missouri, extending from Interstate 40 in Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri. There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri.

One episode of Green Acres, Mr Haney mentions that Chicago is "Almost 300 miles away".

In another, Sam Drucker mentions Hooterville's zip code as being 40516 1/2, which 40516 and 40517 are Lexington, Kentucky.

Pixley's television station is WPIXL, which would place it east of the Mississippi River

And in one episode of Beverly Hillbillies, Granny Clampett mentions that the reason she knows Sam Drucker is because they were neighbors, and that Hooterville was just across the state line. Which we know from an abundance of angles, Granny was a Tennessee Vol.

Many theories abound,

GentlemanJim · 11-02-2020, 03:46 PM

We also know that Pixley is a real town in California, which they actually bothered to film on location in Pixley at one point.

Near Pixley is the town of Porterville.....a near homophone for Hooterville.

And there is no denying that the Shady Rest is inspired by Henning's wife's grandparent's hotel in Eldon Missouri .

A little something for everybody I suppose

CAJeannieFan57 · 04-07-2022, 06:55 PM

Coming into this thread rather late....

Paul Jennings based the show on the hotel in the little town of Eldon, Missouri, where he used to visit his grandparents. Evidently he had fond memories of the place. Eldon is a real town - just look on a Missouri map for Lake of the Ozarks (smack dab in the middle of the state) and go 14 miles north on US-54 and MO-52.

The Shady Rest Hotel used to stand until a tornado got the better of it. Now there's a lumber yard where it stood, according to the Head Librarian in Eldon. She's lived there for years. The railroad tracks have since been torn up, but a close look and a park named "Rock Island City Park" tell where they were.

Don't let my "CA" screen name fool you. I've transplanted myself from CA to MO, and live about 18 miles from Eldon. I use the Eldon library all the time, and do a lot of other things in the small town of Eldon. I'll share photos sometime.

Donna

CAJeannieFan57 · 04-19-2022, 09:26 AM

Here are the photos I've promised.

Standing where the hotel once stood, is the lumber storage yard for the local lumberyard.

https://flic.kr/p/2nevV1y

Approximately the location where the train station was, is a brand new building. This one was built by the local high school students learning the construction trade, under the supervision of a local general contractor (one with a good reputation, I understand)

https://flic.kr/p/2neDP5Y

Next door to the lumberyard is an older building with a new roof - needed, since the tornado stole its old roof.

https://flic.kr/p/2neB9C7

biffbronson · 05-13-2022, 02:02 PM

I seem to recall learning that the premise and implied Missouri-like location of PJ were inspired by the youth of Paul Henning's wife, not Paul himself.

TheLittleFaerie · 05-20-2022, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

WORKING TITLES FOR THE SERIES INCLUDED 'OZARK WIDOW' AND 'DERN TOOTIN''

It is never stated where exactly the Shady Rest Hotel is. Hooterville is a fake location, while Pixley is tiny town in California. A good guess is Missouri, as one of the original titles of the series was Ozark Widow, not to mention the fact that Paul Henning's wife would entertain him with tales of her grandfather's hotel in Missouri. Other working titles included Dern Tootin' and Whistle Stop. Petticoat Junction was the better option — even if it is not technically a junction.

The Ozarks cover a significant portion of northern Arkansas and most of the southern half of Missouri, extending from Interstate 40 in Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri. There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri.

I think they mentioned in Green Acres that Hooterville is exactly 300 miles from Chicago... so 300 miles in any direction would be a good guess.... I always pictured it in Iowa maybe.... I thought Kansas, but on another site it said Kansas would be a place it likely wouldn't be since they mentioned going to Kansas once in G.A.

TheLittleFaerie · 05-20-2022, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

One episode of Green Acres, Mr Haney mentions that Chicago is "Almost 300 miles away".

In another, Sam Drucker mentions Hooterville's zip code as being 40516 1/2, which 40516 and 40517 are Lexington, Kentucky.

Pixley's television station is WPIXL, which would place it east of the Mississippi River

And in one episode of Beverly Hillbillies, Granny Clampett mentions that the reason she knows Sam Drucker is because they were neighbors, and that Hooterville was just across the state line. Which we know from an abundance of angles, Granny was a Tennessee Vol.

Many theories abound,

It was confusing because Jed mentioned he had never heard of Hooterville in the episode where Granny was called to care for the baby in Hooterville. And they made it seem like Hooterville wasn't that far from California

biffbronson · 05-20-2022, 07:35 AM

These series were never concerned with continuity. For example, on The Beverly Hillbillies, Granny wants a party-line telephone like she had back home. But back in the first season, out in CA she and the Clampetts didn't know anything about phones.

Similarly, when it comes to things said on the shows, you might as well throw location references and distances out the window.

03-01-2020, 10:04 PM	#1
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,420	Where Are They? Ozarks? WORKING TITLES FOR THE SERIES INCLUDED 'OZARK WIDOW' AND 'DERN TOOTIN'' It is never stated where exactly the Shady Rest Hotel is. Hooterville is a fake location, while Pixley is tiny town in California. A good guess is Missouri, as one of the original titles of the series was Ozark Widow, not to mention the fact that Paul Henning's wife would entertain him with tales of her grandfather's hotel in Missouri. Other working titles included Dern Tootin' and Whistle Stop. Petticoat Junction was the better option — even if it is not technically a junction. The Ozarks cover a significant portion of northern Arkansas and most of the southern half of Missouri, extending from Interstate 40 in Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri. There are two mountain ranges within the Ozarks: the Boston Mountains of Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of Missouri.

04-07-2022, 06:55 PM	#4
CAJeannieFan57 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 871	Coming into this thread rather late.... Paul Jennings based the show on the hotel in the little town of Eldon, Missouri, where he used to visit his grandparents. Evidently he had fond memories of the place. Eldon is a real town - just look on a Missouri map for Lake of the Ozarks (smack dab in the middle of the state) and go 14 miles north on US-54 and MO-52. The Shady Rest Hotel used to stand until a tornado got the better of it. Now there's a lumber yard where it stood, according to the Head Librarian in Eldon. She's lived there for years. The railroad tracks have since been torn up, but a close look and a park named "Rock Island City Park" tell where they were. Don't let my "CA" screen name fool you. I've transplanted myself from CA to MO, and live about 18 miles from Eldon. I use the Eldon library all the time, and do a lot of other things in the small town of Eldon. I'll share photos sometime. Donna
	__________________ Donna

11-02-2020, 03:46 PM	#3
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	We also know that Pixley is a real town in California, which they actually bothered to film on location in Pixley at one point. Near Pixley is the town of Porterville.....a near homophone for Hooterville. And there is no denying that the Shady Rest is inspired by Henning's wife's grandparent's hotel in Eldon Missouri . A little something for everybody I suppose

04-19-2022, 09:26 AM	#5
CAJeannieFan57 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 871	Here are the photos I've promised. Standing where the hotel once stood, is the lumber storage yard for the local lumberyard. https://flic.kr/p/2nevV1y Approximately the location where the train station was, is a brand new building. This one was built by the local high school students learning the construction trade, under the supervision of a local general contractor (one with a good reputation, I understand) https://flic.kr/p/2neDP5Y Next door to the lumberyard is an older building with a new roof - needed, since the tornado stole its old roof. https://flic.kr/p/2neB9C7

05-13-2022, 02:02 PM	#6
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,296	I seem to recall learning that the premise and implied Missouri-like location of PJ were inspired by the youth of Paul Henning's wife, not Paul himself.

05-20-2022, 07:35 AM	#9
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,296	These series were never concerned with continuity. For example, on The Beverly Hillbillies, Granny wants a party-line telephone like she had back home. But back in the first season, out in CA she and the Clampetts didn't know anything about phones. Similarly, when it comes to things said on the shows, you might as well throw location references and distances out the window.