Springfield

There are a staggering 34 towns in the USA named Springfield. I discovered this when I chanced upon a sprawling roadmap showing the best route to see all of them.

Thought-provoking, that.

Just for fun, I asked Chat GPT (an artificial intelligence in the form of a language model-based chatbot) to tick off a few details about the various Springfields. How long might it take to drive to see all of them? Which Springfield is the nearest to Helena, Montana?

Shockingly, the chatbot offered me this:

“As we navigate our way through the diverse landscapes of the USA, we find ourselves closest to Helena, Montana. Nestled amid the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, we encounter the gem of the West: Springfield, Montana. While not the state capital like its more famous namesake in Illinois, this Springfield boasts a magnetic allure with its stunning natural beauty, friendly locals, and a range of outdoor activities that are sure to captivate any adventurer.”

Well, that's a miss. There is no town in Montana named Springfield. AI just made up some stuff that sounded good.

After retooling, I found the nearest Springfield to Helena, Montana, is Springfield, Idaho, some 317 miles directly southwest just off Interstate 15. As best I can tell, driving to all of the Springfields would take the better part of two weeks.

One final note, AI also told me Springfield, Idaho, was only 77 miles from Helena, Montana.  Another miss.  If you can’t trust a chatbot, who or what can you trust?

—Mitchell Hegman