Where am I, again?

I've written about my amusement with how places are named in Ohio. Sandusky not being in Sandusky County, but rather Erie County is an example, as is Ottawa not being in Ottawa County, but rather in Putnam County. I know that when I go to Wyandot County's seat, I go "down" to Upper Sandusky and when I go to Erie County's seat, I go "up" to (Lower) Sandusky. And don't even get me started on how things are pronounced, at least of course until I get desperate for another column idea. I'll admit it doesn't take much to get me down a rabbit hole, and then for me to chase my tail when I'm there. But, I recently realized I tripped myself up on names once again. I serve five communities, and at any moment, I may be visiting any of them. The other day, I was stopped for lunch in one and looked up at the street sign. It read "Tiffin Avenue." Where was I, again? I looked around. I saw dark red brick buildings. OK, that doesn't narrow down anything. I could be in any city in Ohio. I enacted my brain. Tiffin Avenue means I'm not in Tiffin. That just wouldn't be right. It would be like naming my car "Jeremy." I thought some more — I know there is a Tiffin Avenue/Street in Findlay, Fostoria and Sandusky. Craning my neck, there were no big box stores to be found. So I eliminated Findlay, home of Tiffin Avenue, America's favorite 4-lane thoroughfare of retail. I opened my ears. No sound of trains. Then, I surmised I wasn't in Fostoria, land of the Iron Triangle of railroads. No trains = No Fostoria. By the process of deduction, I finally figured out my location. Sandusky, yes Sandusky. That's where I was. Right on Tiffin Avenue. Sandusky, with Lake Erie just a few blocks away. Sandusky, in Erie County, but not in Sandusky County. Pretty amazing all of the things named Tiffin. I suppose when you have over a hundred avenues to name, it's only natural to name one after Ohio's first governor, Edward Tiffin. Have you ever heard of George Washington? I think at least a few things are named after him. This all reminds me of a game I played when we moved to Alpena, Michigan when I was 5. During our first summer, I'd ask my mom to drive to a remote part of town and allow me to help her figure out our way home. That way we got to know the streets of our new community. I employed the same strategy when I moved to Tiffin about six years ago, checking out various neighborhoods each night in an effort to get to know my new town. This curiosity is where my geography-loving brain sits naturally. So, I apologize for pontificating about places in this way. Back to my quest to not confuse myself over my whereabouts. A deeper study revealed some major street name similarities between four of the cities I'm associated with (sorry Norwalk). There is a street named Fostoria in both Findlay and Tiffin, but not in Sandusky. There is a Findlay Street in Fostoria, but not in Tiffin and Sandusky. Oh yeah, and naturally, there is a road named Sandusky in Findlay, Tiffin and Fostoria, but not in Sandusky. I'd advise you to not think too hard or you'll be pondering this Carl Sandburg quote along with me: "Who am I, where I have been, and where am I going?" Jeremy Speer is the publisher of The Courier, Findlay, the Sandusky Register, The Advertiser-Tribune, Tiffin, the Norwalk Reflector and Review Times, Fostoria. He can be reached at jeremyspeer@thecourier.com.