 The Historical Society of Springfield contains references to historical figures and facts . The episode features Gilbert Stuart 's unfinished 1796 painting of George Washington and tells a fictional backstory of how it came to be . In reality , the painting was unfinished and it did not have a part torn off . Hurlbut mentions the American revolutionaries William Dawes and Samuel Allyne Otis as equals to Jebediah Springfield . When Lisa passes out the " Wanted for treason " posters , it is a reference to those featuring John F. Kennedy , which were circulated in Dallas prior to his assassination . Hurlbut claims Springfield 's confessions are " just as fake " as the will of Howard Hughes and the diaries of Adolf Hitler , both of which are proven forgeries . The episode also contains references to popular culture . The opening couch gag shows the Simpson family in blue boxes similar to the style of The Brady Bunch . 
