What do we know about Nancy's hometown, River Heights? Clues point to it being a Midwestern town that forms around the Muskoka River! But scholars and collectors have debated for years where the town of River Heights is located. The possibilities range from Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, and New Jersey.
Original Texts
When Mildred Wirt Benson wrote volumes 1-7, 11-25, and 30, she pictured River Heights to be in Iowa, which is where Mildred was from! You can see Iowa as the inspiration when you read about the cornfields, farmland, and other reference to the Midwest in these particular books (the original texts at least). However, Mildred also lived in Ohio once she got married, which could also have influenced her writing of River Heights. In the OT version of Nancy's Mysterious Letter (volume 9), Emerson College, where Nancy's boyfriend Ned Nickerson goes to school, is described as being on the tributary (which is a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake) of the Ohio River. This book was written by author Walter King, not Millie, however he wrote River Heights as being in the Midwest just like she did. In the OT version of Password to Larkspur Lane (volume 10, also written by Walter King), River Heights is described as "a longer narrow community built up on the banks of the river in a north and south direction." In the OT of The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (volume 22, written by Mildred Wirt Benson) the Muskoka River is described as, "wide near town but the upper reaches were narrow and twisted and turned at such sharp angles that fast travel was out of the question".
Other Possible Locations
On the contrary, there are other books where Carson Drew takes day trips to Chicago, which makes it seem like Illinois and some other states are also possible candidates! Then, when Harriet Adams started the revision process in 1959, the location started looking more like New Jersey, which is where the Stratemeyer Syndicate was located, and where Harriet lived. NYC started being described as close by and Nancy even takes a vacation to a Midwestern flying school in "The Sky Phantom". In the book "The Mystery of Nancy Drew" by Betsy Caprio, she interviewed Nancy Drew authors, dived deep into the clues of where River Heights is, and was able to come up with a map of the town! She believes that River Heights is in Holmes County, Ohio.
River Heights in Nancy Drew Spin-Off Series & On Screen
The Nancy Drew Files series from the 80s and 90s sets River Heights right outside of Chicago, as does the 2019 movie, The Hidden Staircase. The Nancy Drew: Girl Detective series also sets it in Illinois. This lines up with River Heights being by the Muskoka River! While the 70s show has it placed in New England.
Conclusion
While the location of River Heights will most likely never be figured out for sure, or agreed on by anyone, the most likely suspects are Ohio, and a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. But in all honesty, I've never really been very interested in the location of River Heights. To me growing up, it always felt like an imaginary place like Narnia or Oz. Reading these books was like jumping into a land far, far away. However, out of all the places, I did more so imagine it to be like New England. Wherever River Heights takes place, it doesn't really matter, as long as you're able to escape your real world and into another.
Sources:
http://jammer_g.tripod.com/index.html
The Mystery of Nancy Drew: Girl Sleuth on the Couch by Betsy Caprio
The Nancy Drew Scrapbook by Karen Plunkett-Powell
My brain...lol
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