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Elwood City's history dates back to the 1800s, when Buffalo Bill passed through the city during his tour of the country performing for locals.[4] The city was officially founded in 1903 by Jacob Katzenellenbogan, who wanted it to be named Elmwood City.[5] The metro area is home to an ample amount of businesses, all of which serve the community and its people.
Elwood City was founded in 1903 by Jacob Katzenellenbogan although he had originally intended the town to be called "Elmwood" but someone misspelled it and the corrupted name stuck. Elwood city was a lumber town as said by President Roosevelt at the founding and it could also be the reason Katzenellenbogan wanted it to be named Elmwood City. The current U.S. President at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, was present at the founding, and gave the dedication speech. Two prominent businessmen where also there, Henry Ford and J. P. Morgan, who were partners of Katzenellenbogan. In the episode On This Spot, it was said that in 1885, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, staring Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull came through Elwood City on the banks of Mill Creek while on tour. In "Elwood City Turns 100!" (which takes place in the year 2003) the city celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Location
Elwood City's roads
General
The geographic area of Elwood City consists of mountains to the north, Moose Mountain the south, Bear Lake and Button Island to the West, and farmland to the east, although in "Elwood City Turns 100!", it is described that it was formerly a swampy area, but buildings were built and trees were cut down to form the city it is. From the view of Elwood City in "Fernfern and the Secret of Moose Mountain", and the view across from Bear Lake, we can tell that Elwood City is in a somewhat mountainous area. The city is apparently somewhere in the eastern United States/Canada, as it is strongly affected by a hurricane in "Shelter from the Storm."
The exact whereabouts of the city have never been explicitly stated, though it is generally considered to be in eastern North America. Various animals populate the city itself. Some animals in this city are in anthropomorphic form and some are in realistic animal form. For example, Arthur has a pet dog, Pal, and two friends who are dogs, Binky and Fern.
Evidence for American Location
Many places in Elwood City are a reference to locations in the Eastern United States.
The series contains many references to a President, but Canada is headed by a Prime Minister.
In Based on a True Story, Ladonna Compson states that the drive from Louisiana to Elwood City is 16 hours long. That would mean Elwood City maybe in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, southeastern New York State, and possibly southwestern, south central Pennsylvania, if they lived in the Eastern or Northern Louisiana.
Mill Creek Mall is a reference to Millcreek Mall in Pennsylvania, where Marc Brown was raised.
Evidence for Canadian Location
There are various references throughout the series to a Canadian location.
In "The Good, the Bad, and the Binky", a five dollar bill given to Binky is blue and a twenty given to him is green, characteristics of Canadian paper money.
Oftentimes, Canadian flags can be spotted in the background of Mr. Ratburn's classroom.
Crosswire Motors: An automobile dealership owned by Ed Crosswire. Arthur's mother Jane is a work-at-home tax accountant and one of Ed's employees. It is located in Northeast Elwood City.
The Sugar Bowl: A dessert parlor where Arthur and his friends often go out for dessert. It is located in Northeast Elwood City.
Salon de Beauté: A hair salon owned by Flossie, who is also a hairdresser, and the place where Muffy gets her hair done. The name of this place is French for "Beauty Salon", and it often plays French-style music inside. It first appeared in Francine's Bad Hair Day, and has made several more appearances later.
Tastee Cone: An unseen ice cream parlor and retailer where Francine purchased the lamp that involved an ice cream cone, shortly before it went out of business.[8]
Best Repair Shop: An automobile repair shop owned by a mechanic named Joe, who once attempted to repair the Read family's car.[9]
Jack's Joke Shop: A store that sells prank items, neighbored by the ice cream shop.
Meteor Comix: A comic book store where Arthur and D.W. bought their first comic books.
Chickin Lickin': a fried chicken restaurant chain. There are locations of this store in Elwood City, but there are most likely more in different cities. There is one store 5 minutes away from The Sugar Bowl, and one in the Mill Creek Mall.[10]
Manny's Diner: a diner owned by Manny. It is located near the city limit of Elwood City.[11]
Al's Pet Shop: A pet shop that Arthur and his friends often walk past.
Care to Ware: Formerly named "Elwood City Clothing Exchange", Muffy helped redesign the store.[12] It donates all of its profits to charity.
Hover Park: An indoor skydiving-type simulation, where the visitor can emulate riding a hoverboard. It was only in Arthur's dream at the Elwood City Planetarium, therefore not technically counting as a real place.[13]
Schools
Lakewood Elementary School: The school that Arthur and his friends go to, plus where the staff work. The interior includes offices, classrooms, a cafeteria, gymnasium, and a detention room only seen in the early seasons. Outside of the school there is a playground with a jungle jym that is "claimed" by the Tough Customers. There is also a baseball field, where games such as Lakewood vs. Mighty Mountain and 3rd Graders vs. 4th Graders are held.
Elwood City Preschool is a local preschool that D.W. attends with her friends. Her class is taught by Miss Morgan, the only teacher. (Although D.W. mentions a three year old class in Blockheads.)
PS 22 is a school in Elwood City that was mentioned in the episode Home Sweet Home by both Irwin and Sanjeev. It's unknown where the school is as it was never seen or mentioned again after the episode.
Estabrook is an elementary school. Not much is known about it, as its only appearance was when its soccer team faced against Lakewood's in "The Big Blow-Up". In fact, its name is only mentioned at all in the novelization of the episode.
Municipal
Elwood City Public Library: Elwood City's municipal public library, that is often confused as Lakewood's school library. The only known and seen librarians are Paige Turner and a Unknown Librarian. It is one street away from the Reads' House.
Elwood City Dump: The local dump where Francine's father, Oliver, works at. It is where Arthur cut his knee and also where Francine's dad got the recycled parts to make her bicycle.
Bear Lake: More commonly known as "The Lake" is a lake in Northwest and Southwest Elwood City. Its' name is said on the episode "D.W. All Wet". She was afraid there were octopuses there.
Mill Creek River: A river that is south of the Mill Creek Mall. It also flows down into Bear Lake.
Puffer's Pond: A local pond where the Reads go fishing.
Elwood City Times: A news station where newspapers get published, and the place where Buster's mother, Bitzi, an editor-in-chief, works at.
Residences
Reads' House: A yellow Cape Cod-esque house with a green roof and two dormers where Arthur and his family reside. He has his room to himself in the right dormer, but D.W. and Kate share a room in the left dormer. They also own a pet dog named Pal. Its address is 562 Main Street.
Mr. Ratburn's House: A yellow house with a green roof, a brown front door, a green garage door, and green window shutters. Arthur's third grade teacher, Mr. Ratburn, resides there independently, although it is rarely seen.
Molinas' House: A purple house located right next door to the Read's house. Vicita and her family reside there. They also own a pet dog named Amigo. It was formerly owned by Susy Sipple from the books and early seasons, until the Molina family from Ecuador acquired it shortly after Susy moved out in the Season 6 segment Arthur and Los Vecinos.
Dattilos' House: A white house with light blue accents and a yellow front door. A blind girl named Marina and her mother reside there, and it is close to her best friend Prunella's house.
Barneses' House: A yellow house with a blue roof where Binky and his parents, and the newly adopted Mei-Lin reside.
Armstrongs' House : A gray house with a front porch with a balcony above it, an orange roof, a yellow front door with orange accents, and a green garage door. Sue Ellen and her parents reside there, and were one of the most recent families that moved to Elwood City.
A street map of Elwood City specifically showing Fern's house.
Walterses' House: A white house with blue accents and a gray roof where Fern and her parents reside.
Lundgrens' House: A white house with brown accents, a gray roof, and a front porch. This is the house where George and his family reside.
Tibbles' house: A large pink house with a dark red roof and a cupola. The twins Tommy and Timmy Tibble reside with their grandmother Mrs. Tibble there, and also own a pet black cat. It is a few blocks from the Reads' house.
Crosswires' Mansion: A lavender and yellow mansion with a bluish-green roof, brown front doors, and a balcony above the front doors. It has twenty rooms, a colossal yard, and a swimming pool. It is the largest residence in town. Muffy and her family reside there, although her family is very small and she has only one brother, Chip. Their chauffeur and butler, Bailey, also lives there.
Westboro Apartments: A campus of apartment complexes owned by landlord Mr. Sanders. Francine and her family reside in Apartment #3 in the red complex. Like D.W. and Kate, Francine and Catherine share a room too. They also own a pet cat named Nemo. Another resident named Mrs. Pariso lives in Apartment #4 right next to the Frenskys, after she moved there in Francine Goes to War.
Powerses' House: A yellow house with a reddish-orange roof, two purple front doors, and a purple garage door where the Brain and his parents reside.
Elwood City Condominiums: A yellow condominium complex with a red roof, balconies, and porches. Buster and his mother Bitzi reside in one of the units, and Buster's Grandmother resides in another one.
Tree House: A private place inside a wooden structure built at the treetops above the tree trunk where Arthur and his friends hang out when doing homework, reading books, and spending time together; often done in peace and away from D.W. and her friends around her age. It is located next to the Mill Creek. The roof caved in from snow, but it was later fixed.[15]
Compsons' House: A tan house where Ladonna and her family live in after moving from Louisiana.
Trivia
If Buster was talking about Elwood City in the opening of Binky Rules, then Elwood City is known as "the City of the Strawberries", hence the annual Strawberry Festival.
In Rhyme for Your Life, Binky describes himself as the "best poet in Elwood City." It is unknown if he still holds that position.
Panoramic Images
A view of Elwood City from the peak of Moose Mountain.
