TLDR: Hooterville is fictional, but the Shady Rest Hotel on Petticoat Junction was based on a real railroad hotel in Eldon, Missouri, owned by Paul Henning’s wife’s grandparents. Several other towns claim the name. Checked October 19, 2026.
Fans have been trying to find Hooterville on a map for sixty years. The answer is that you cannot, though one small Missouri town comes very close.
Here is what we know about the real hotel, the real train, the name and the towns that want credit. For the shows themselves, see our guide to the Hooterville universe.
Is Hooterville a Real Town?
No, Hooterville is fictional. Wikipedia says the writers changed its details whenever a joke needed it, and Green Acres gave a founding year of 1868 and a founder named Horace Hooter.
Return to Green Acres in 1990 even gave the town a ZIP code, 40516½, according to Wikipedia. That is near real Kentucky ZIP codes, but Hooterville is not on any postal map.
What Real Place Inspired the Shady Rest Hotel?
A hotel in Eldon, Missouri. The Miller County Museum says it was the Burris Hotel, also called the Rock Island Hotel, which stood beside the Rock Island Line tracks.
The museum says Willis Burris and Martha Bowlin ran it, and that Paul Henning’s wife, Ruth Margaret Barth, was their granddaughter. Stories Ruth’s mother told about growing up in the hotel gave Henning his idea.
Historic Missourians agrees that Petticoat Junction was inspired by Ruth’s childhood stories about the Eldon hotel. Wikipedia adds that she rode the train there as a child.
Did the Real Hotel Survive?
No. The museum says the old Burris Hotel was torn down some years ago and does not give an exact date.
A nice family detail is that Linda Kaye Henning, who played Betty Jo, was the great-granddaughter of the couple who ran it. Read her story in our Linda Kaye Henning profile.
Who Was Paul Henning?
Historic Missourians says Paul Henning was born on September 16, 1911, in Independence, Missouri, and died on March 25, 2005. He and Ruth married in 1939 and had three children.
The Beverly Hillbillies drew on his youth and on people he met camping in southern Missouri, per the same source. In the 1980s his family sold land in Taney County to the state, creating the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area.
Where Does the Hooterville Name Come From?
Wikipedia says the name may be a play on “Hooverville,” the Depression-era shantytowns, or on Hooversville, Pennsylvania. It is a guess, not a confirmed origin.
Wikipedia also notes a story that Porterville, California, near the real town of Pixley, inspired it, but calls the story unverified. Locals in Hendersonville, North Carolina, call their own town Hooterville, though one local author says the name predates the show.
Was the Hooterville Cannonball a Real Train?
Sort of. Wide Open Country says the Cannonball was based on Sierra No. 3, a steam locomotive that had already appeared in westerns such as The Virginian and High Noon.
The locomotive in the opening credits is the star of Petticoat Junction fandom. See who rode it in our Petticoat Junction cast guide.
How Far Is Pixley From Hooterville?
Wikipedia says the shows put Pixley about 50 miles away, with a small airport and its own television station. Crabwell Corners is just a few miles off, and Bug Tussle, often linked to Granny, is farther.
The distances moved around from episode to episode. See how the towns connect across the shows in our guide to the Hooterville crossover episodes.
Why People Still Look for Hooterville
People want the place to exist because the shows made it feel safe, funny and a little eccentric. If you want to visit, the closest thing is a Missouri railroad town with a missing hotel.
Is Hooterville Real? Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hooterville a real place?
No. Hooterville is fictional, though the Shady Rest Hotel was based on a real hotel in Eldon, Missouri.
What town inspired Hooterville?
Eldon, Missouri, inspired the setting of Petticoat Junction, according to Historic Missourians.
What hotel inspired the Shady Rest?
The Burris Hotel, also called the Rock Island Hotel, in Eldon, Missouri, owned by Ruth Henning’s grandparents.
Is the Burris Hotel still standing?
No. The Miller County Museum says it was torn down some years ago.
Who created Petticoat Junction?
Paul Henning created Petticoat Junction after The Beverly Hillbillies.
Where does the name Hooterville come from?
Wikipedia says it may be a play on the Depression-era term Hooverville, but the origin is not confirmed.
Was the Hooterville Cannonball a real train?
Wide Open Country says it was based on Sierra No. 3, a steam locomotive seen in several westerns.
Is there a real Pixley?
Yes. There is a Pixley in California, though the show’s Pixley is fictional.
Did Hooterville have a ZIP code?
Return to Green Acres gave it the ZIP code 40516½, according to Wikipedia.
Is Linda Kaye Henning related to the real hotel owners?
Yes. The Miller County Museum says she was the great-granddaughter of the couple who ran the Burris Hotel.
