Today I go behind the scenes to show what I saw while reviewing the digital map a couple of pages past Sandusky, OH.
Screen captures come from Excel 2007. Minor edits made using MS Paint.
Other images are sourced as noted.
TL;DR
- Introduction
- Fun with Maps
6. Wayne, OH
5. Woodside, OH
4. Kansas, OH
3. Helena, OH
2. Genoa, OH
1. Risingsun, OH - More Fun with Maps
Introduction
After David Guardia meets the uncanny Manny Rey, they leave Sandusky, Ohio to head west as a team as far as Iowa.
Along the way, he must have been looking at digital (or even paper) maps.
What was he looking at? What caught his eye? What surprises did he find?
While I can't answer those questions for him, I can answer them for myself.
In our physical offline world, the trip to STURGIS would have been shorter and more efficient (not to mention cheaper) had David Guardia used some navigational aid, be it GPS, a Viking Sunstone, or an uncanny co-pilot. It also would have been a much more boring ride for him (and for us as readers).
Maps are a vital part of The GHAWG Universe, both for me as storyteller and for the characters. As much as I want to have scenes take place at certain locations, the ultimate decider is THE MAP: If the location doesn't make sense for the story, then I can't use it for that story. On the other hand, the map may show me a location I hadn't considered before but makes perfect sense both for utility and symbolism.
While reviewing digital maps, there are times I find locations which get me scratching my head and scruff, get me laughing, or even get me wondering "WTF is this??" This post features what I discovered a couple of pages west of Sandusky, Ohio.
Fun with Maps
As with earlier editions of Fun With Maps, a few places on the map
… I had known about over the years;
… are better known by their more famous alternatives; and
… I just hadn't expected at all.
Now that David Guardia teamed up with the uncanny Manny Rey, more zapfic entries are taking place in Ohio than in Pennsylvania when he was alone.
After Sandusky, the next place of note is Defiance. Two screens of digital map had interesting place names, but not enough on each page to make the cut for Fun with Maps. So it's the 3rd page after Sandusky.
Here are the discoveries I made in this section of the ride from Sandusky to Defiance:
Just to remind myself that this map was part of Ohio, I added the label OHIO. Then I highlighted 6 locations. This map isn't directly tied to any other map, so I added the label Sandusky ▬►► for reference. Here are the 6 locations in reverse order of interest:
6. Wayne, OH
Wayne is a common enough place name. David Guardia, who hails from the New Jersey city of Bayonne, was already living a short ride away from Wayne, New Jersey. Just for this reason, seeing this place name in Ohio grabbed his attention (and mine). Another reason for including Wayne on this list: it's the corporation behind the fortune which makes it possible for Batman to exist (Wayne Enterprises).
This particular Wayne is a village in Wood County. It was originally named Freeport, and later Prairie Depot, before it arrived at its current name. Wayne, Ohio, like many other places named (fully or in part) Wayne in the nation, was named in honor of Anthony Wayne, a general in the Revolutionary War.
5. Woodside, OH
Whether its as common a place name as Wayne or not, Woodside caught my eye. There's a neighborhood in western Queens, New York, US named woodside (along with an avenue by that name). Given the nature of the name-- forests-- it's not surprising to see the name Woodside at other locations.
Woodside, Ohio is an unincorporated community in Wood County. Beyond this, there's not much information indicating the origin of the name.
4. Kansas, OH
Pennsylvania has Texas and East Texas. Ohio has Kansas. Finding the name of another state here was enough reson for me to include it on today's list.
Kansas, Ohio was named for the Territory of Kansas, around which time it was being considered for statehood. At the time there was a question of whether Kansas would be considered a slave state (one where chattel slavery was practiced) or a free state (a state without chattel slavery). Kansas entered the United States in 1861 as a free state.
3. Helena, OH
The place name Helena can be found in several locations. What came to my mind is Helena, Montana.
Helena, Ohio was originally called Shiloh. Ohio. When it was time rename the town, Doctor Thompson suggested that it be named Helena in honor of his daughter (Helena Thompson).
2. Genoa, OH
The most famous Genoa is in Italy. While it's not a place name I associate outside Italy, I shouldn't be surprised that the name is used elsewhere, either.
Previously known as Stony Station, the village was renamed Genoa in 1857 to honor its Italian namesake. Like the one in Italy, Genoa was surrounded by water
1. Risingsun, OH
Back in Fun with Maps 3, I wrote a bit about Rising Sun, Pennsylvania. I was familiar with it not only as another name for Japan/Nippon, but also as the title of the movie starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.
I was surpised to see Rising Sun as an actual place name. I'm just as surprised to see it as another place name (only as one word and not two).
According to the Risingsun Area Historical Society, Risingsun
is so named because it's so near the east boundary line of Wood County that it's the first town to be kissed by the sun each morning.
More Fun with Maps
Next Fun with Maps features Defiance Ohio. This town is important enough David Guardia and the uncanny Manny Rey for a layover. Where else in Ohio will David Guardia find himself? What other notable people will he find there? How does his ride further unfold?
Let's find out together as I continue my research and we have more fun with maps.
As more posts in this series are published, they will be added to the pinned post "GHAWGnav: Navigating The GHAWG Universe". Thanks for taking time to see how this part of The GHAWG Universe is being built.
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[!!]See you next time for another edition of Fun with Maps!
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