Laurel Falls

This is another entry for my “Places of Springfield.” Check out the page for previous entries and check back here for more.

Laurel Falls Shirt

Laurel Falls - Laurel Falls is one of my favorite places in Springfield. I first fell in love with it when it was Kelly Nelson and Morgan Richard’s special spot. It was heavily used by the teen storyline in the early 1980s. At that time, Laurel Falls was shot at a real park. I’ll be on the look out for a better clip, but for right now this is the opening at 10 seconds in. The next scene shows Dr. Claire Ramsey during her first stay in Springfield. She’s put a bag on Kelly’s feet and is laughing at his reaction. So far I’ve been unable to find out where this park actually was, but if I find out, I will let everyone know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdA7x85tYM&feature=player_embedded

Later Roger and Holly Thorpe had several scenes there and said it was where they used to meet when he was first romancing her when she was a teen, but I wasn’t watching (OK born)  then so I don’t know if they made that up or not.

However, the most important and ongoing role in a storyline for Laurel Falls is its association with Manny. Michelle had told Danny about going there as a child and when he surprises her with a vow renewal so they’ll be married “for real because they want to be.” (Wedding #3)  That is also where they consummate the marriage in a special bed that Danny set up. Later when living in Casa Santos caused problems in the wedding, Danny bought all the private land around Laurel Falls park with the intention of building a house there. While construction on the house started and stopped several times, they never actually completed it, eventually purchasing Orchid Manor instead to accommodate the stupid Carrie Carruthers storyline. Laurel Falls is also site of wedding #4 (the 1st one with Nancy St. Alban). It also is the site of the wonderful scene where Michelle burns the federal evidence against Danny which she stole to save him.  It’s unclear if Manny was forced to sell the land as part of Danny’s settlement with the government after the collapse of his 5th Street Rehab project. Much later during the deep dark best forgotten amnesia year, Tony brought Michelle here several times eventually leading to a final confrontation where Tony fell to his death rather than further endanger Michelle and Danny’s lives (which is small part made up for the total creep he’d become since the recast).

What we see at this time of the falls is an area above the falls. You can constantly hear the falls just out of camera range. Mostly what we see is a large gray rock with the trees all around it. A public parking area is out of our view off screen to the right. It’s not entirely clear if you have to drive or walk there from the Bauer House. At the very least it’s on the same side of town and not too terribly far from the Bauer House. Michelle drives there for the evidence burning scene, but she was coming from the police station, not the Bauer house. Laurel Falls feeds into a river, not the lake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hdy92nW9Sw&feature=PlayList&p=F6D180793863A590&index=73

UPDATE: Laurel Falls located by We Love Soaps.
http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/laurel-falls-is-in-connecticut

Advertisement

Tags: Danny Santos, Dr. Claire Ramsey, GL, Guiding Light, Holly Norris, Kelly Nelson, Laurel Falls, Manny, Michelle Bauer Santos, Morgan Richards, Roger Thorpe