For seven successful seasons, Gilmore Girls enchanted audiences. In 2016, Netflix gave fans an update on Lorelei and Rory with a four-part miniseries called A Year In The Life. But as special as the Gilmore ladies are, what made the series so unmatched was the setting: Stars Hallow, Connecticut.
Stars Hollow is a fictional town the creators made to fit Lorelai and Rory's narrative. It was a town filled with lovable characters who knew everything about their neighbor; a safe place where everyone went to town hall meetings and looked after each others' kids. It was magical. But there are basic Stars Hallow facts that get lost in the fray through all of the drama the Gilmore girls trail behind them.
Its Proximity To Hartford, CT
While Stars Hallow is fictional, Hartford, Connecticut is very much real. In fact, it's the state's capital. Hartford is where Rory went to school at Chilton and is where Lorelei's parents, Emily and Richard, live. It's a very wealthy and beautiful city that the show used to contrast with Stars Hallow.
Lorelei has done plenty of eye-brow raising things in her day but moving to Stars Hollow isn't one of them. It's only 30 miles away from Hartford, making their trip for Friday night dinners not too far. When Rory went to Chilton, it took her 40 minutes by bus to reach Hartford from Stars Hollow.
Does Stars Hollow Look Familiar To Anyone Else?
Stars Hollow revolves around its town square, a nice green space with a pavilion in the center. All of the shops and restaurants circle around the square. But if there are any Pretty Liars fans out there, they'd notice that Stars Hollow is the same town as Rosewood. The square is also used in Supernatural.
With Stars Hollow being a fictional city, the town is actually a set on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California. You'll notice the church, the school, and even the pavilion being the same in all three shows.
Luke Claims There Are Only 12 Stores But There Are More...
Luke isn't always the most popular or well-liked man in town. He can be a little too blunt and doesn't sugarcoat things when he's in a bad mood. But he has a big heart and truly cares for Stars Hollow, no matter how many times he disses it. In one scene, Luke recalled that Stars Hollow had "twelve stores... devoted entirely to peddling porcelain unicorns." But according to namedrops over the years, there are far more than 12 stores.
Fans all know Al's Pancake World, Luke's, and Doose's, but there's also Gabby's Flowers, Hungry Diner, Le Chat Club, Stars Hollow Baby, and more.
Who Named Stars Hollow?
Stars Hollow really is the perfect name for this quaint, magical town. It's filled with wonder and hope and unity. According to the show (namely Taylor Doose), the town was founded in 1779 but who founded it is up for debate.
In the episode "To Die and Let Diorama," it's said that Stars Hollow was founded by a Puritan who claimed the area had many stars and hollow forests. But in seasons 1 and 4, it's said that Stars Hollow was founded by soulmates. Two star-crossed lovers found each other yet again in Stars Hollow after following the stars to find each other.
The Revolutionary War Has A Big Part In The Town
The Revolutionary War took place in America towards the end of the 1700s. According to Stars Hollow historians like Taylor, the war left a significant impact on Stars Hollow.
Twelve Stars Hollow locals stood their ground in the small Connecticut town waiting for the British to come but they never did. To celebrate their bravery, there's a reenactment done in their honor every year.
Stars Hollow Has Its Own Liberty Bell
There's something incredibly cozy and warm about Stars Hollow. The people are friendly, the town is clean, the leaves in the fall look stupendous... It's enchanting with a lot of history. So much history, in fact, that the town has its own Liberty Bell.
In the town square by the pavilion, fans spotted a sign detailing Stars Hollow's personal bell that weighs over 2,000 pounds. Oddly enough, there's no bell in the town square. It's certainly not hanging in the pavilion if it weighed over 2,000 pounds!
Third Street Has A Rocky Past
Street names are commonly used in Gilmore Girls to show a sense of that hometown feel. It's comforting knowing that Dean lived on Peach Street, Lane lived on Elm Street, and the Gilmores lived on Maple Street. Later in the series, Taylor changes the street names to what they were called in the 1700-1800s but longtime locals still call them by their previous names.
Funny enough, Lorelai and Sookie's Dragonfly Inn was on Third Street before being changed to Sores and Boils Alley. Thanks to Taylor, Sores and Boils Alley is in reference to a time where those who were suffering would go to that street to have their "sore and boils" taken care of.
Stars Hollow Looked Different In The Series Pilot
It seems like a lifetime ago when season 1 of Gilmore Girls was released in 2000. In the series pilot, everything looks pretty much as it did the series finale but there were a few subtle differences. According to CBC, Gilmore Girls shot some of its pilot in Ontario's Unionville. The town's Main Street was used before everything was settled on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.
The Town Is Based On A Mixture Of Real Towns
As charming a town as Stars Hollow is, it has fans wondering what inspired the creators and showrunners. The villages of Stars Hollow were loosely based on the small Connecticut town of Washington Depot. Writers for the show even spent a month at the Mayflower Grace in Washington, Connecticut to get a small-town feel for themselves. It's the smallest of details that made Stars Hollow a star in its own right in the series.
Yale Is Super Close To Stars Hollow
The show would have been very different if Rory ended up going away to Harvard. Harvard is an hour and a half from Hartford, Connecticut, meaning Rory would have been home far less if she ended up there. Thankfully, she chose Yale, which ended up being 22 miles from Stars Hollow (which was noted by Jess in the third season). With Rory being a little over 20 minutes away from home (and from her grandparents), the dramatic storylines and close bond between Lorelai and Rory would continue without much effort.