Granvilles

The three different communities of Granville MA, Granville OH, and Granville IA have the same name but are completely different not only in spatial features, but, in they way they were planned as well. Take Granville MA for example:

As you can see on the map, this peticular Granville is very rural with only 1,521 residents according to the US Census. These residents live within the 42.24 square miles of land that lie within the borders.

Granville OH, a township in Licking County OH, is completey different from the rural town of Granville MA. The 2000 census has the township having 8,994 residents on in only 26.04 square miles. This is much more city like due to its proximity to the city of Columbus.

The last Granville is in the state of Iowa. This town has a miniscule population of 325 residents at the time of the 2000 census. I was curious to see what a town of 325 people would look like and the map answered my questions about this Granville. With only 0.29 square miles, the town is surrounded by farms for as far as a person could see. Surrounding these agricultural fields that are other small towns of the same size.

After looking over three different towns by the same name, it becomes apparent why defining which town is being talked about is absolutely essential to specify which state is being talked about. Also, just talking about these towns does not do them justice to see how different they actually are from one another. Two towns could be identical in population and square miles of land but have compeltely different master plans that are responsible for how the towns look today.