Today I go behind the scenes to show what I saw while reviewing the digital map around Sturgis, Michigan.
Screen captures come from Excel 2007. Minor edits made using MS Paint.
Other images are sourced as noted.
TL;DR
- Introduction
- Fun with Maps
A. Mongo, IN
6. Scott, IN
5. Emma, IN
4. Topeka, IN
3. Plato, IN
2. Ontario, IN
1. Sturgis, MICHIGAN - More Fun with Maps
Introduction
David Guardia and the uncanny Manny Rey end up in Sturgis, Michigan (one of the lesser-known towns bearing this name). Before they reach Sturgis (and not STURGIS), they pass through a a few pages of digital map, the first 2 of which are light on interesting place names.
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 Defiance, 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.
As the story unfolds, David Guardia and co-pilot Manny Rey ride together through Michigan (briefly), Indiana, and Illinois.
Here are the discoveries I made in this section of the ride featuring Sturgis, Michigan:
Just to remind myself that this map shows parts of Michigan and Indiana, I added the labels MICHIGAN and INDIANA. I also added the label MICHIGAN to show how close the ride is to state lines. Then I highlighted 6 locations (plus one location for reference only). Although this map is tied to the previous map, I added the label Mongo ▬►► onthe cover image for reference; on the full map Mongo is circled in a dark green. Here are the 6+1 locations in reverse order of interest:
A. Mongo, IN
It's on this map only for reference, to tie it back to the previous map. That's why it's circled in a dark green. Think of this location as the map equivalent of the hash for a the previous {blockchain}() {transaction}().
6. Scott, IN
"Great Scott!"-- That's what went through my mind when I saw this place name on the map, which is why I put it on this list.
While Scott County in southeastern Indiana was named after Charles Scott, a general from the American Revolution, the origin of the name of the community named Scott is not well documented. It could be for the same reason as the county, but this is not a given.
5. Emma, IN
Just as with Scott, Emma caught my eye. Just as with Scott, little information is available regarding the origin of the place name.
According to pages 241 and 242 from a digitized copy of the book Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, the community of Emma was originally named Eden Mills when the post office operated there from 1868 through 1875. It was renamed Emma in 1880.
4. Topeka, IN
I knew about Topeka, Kansas; this is the first time I see Topeka outside of Kansas.
While Topeka, Kansas is the more famous Topeka, it may not have been the first. According to The Dopika Project,
Topeka was officially named on January 2, 1855. Fry W. Giles, one of the city’s founders, wrote that the Rev. S.Y. Lum proposed the name on January 1, 1855, and that the founders of the city chose the name because it was "a name not found in the list of post offices of the United States, nor in any lexicon of the English language. It was novel, of Indian origin and euphonious of sound."
3. Plato, IN
There may be other Platos, but the first Plato to come to mind for most people is the ancient Greek philosopher. Was Plato, Indiana named for him?
If we go the scant information offered by Wikipedia, then the town in Indiana was named for the famous philosopher.
2. Ontario, IN
The most famous Ontario is the province in Canada. The most famous geographical feature bearing this name in North America is Lake Ontario. Within the United States, the most famous Ontario is in California.
Ontario, Indiana is named for Lake Ontario, which separates Canada (and Ontario Province) from New York State. The Indiana village was laid out in March 1837 by proprietor nathan Jenks.
1. Sturgis, MICHIGAN
Although there is only one STURGIS, there are several other place names bearing this name. Sturgis, Michigan is one of them.
On top of that, it turns out there was more than one person named Sturgis. While STURGIS was named after a commaning officer of nearby Fort Meade Cavalry Post, Major Samuel D. Sturgis, Sturgis, Michigan was named after the wife of Judge John Sturgis. According to legend, future governor Lewis Cass was leading a surveying party when Mrs. Sturgis offered them a pan of baked buscuits. When it came time to name the town, Governor Cass remembered this experience and honored Mrs. Sturgis' memory by naming the town after her.
More Fun with Maps
Now that David Guardia had visited a Sturgis (and not THE STURGIS), he and the uncanny Manny Rey return to Indiana for their next stop of note: South Bend, Indiana.
Where else in Indiana 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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