Not Mitchaw, but a reasonable facsimile found on Pixaby
D.S. Lang is a former teacher, tutor, and mentor. She writes historical mysteries set in smalltown America during the Roaring Twenties. Her books feature amateur sleuths dedicated to cracking cases, along with a team of colorful characters—often including a local lawman. Find more about her books and her books on her website.
The Catalogued Corpse, the first book in my Doro Banyon Historical Mystery series, is set in the semi-fictional town of Michaw, Ohio. I use the term semi-fictional, because the unincorporated village of Mitchaw existed until the mid-Twentieth Century. In fact, it was my dad’s birthplace! Often called Mitchaw Corners, it was set at the intersection of two main roads. The town was tiny and surrounded by farms. These days, the area is part of Sylvania Township, but many more people live there because subdivisions have replaced farms.
I have taken considerable literary license in creating a fictional place. My town is much larger than the “Corners” ever was and even has a college, where my amateur sleuth works as a librarian.
In doing research, I found information about ghost towns (not haunted, just not in existence any longer) and forgotten places (they exist but not as actual jurisdictions.) Almost 4000 of these entities are in the United States. Texas has the most. The majority disappeared in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, often due to inhabitants heading to bigger cities. My dad’s family moved off their farm to a home in Sylvania, not a major city, when he was in high school. Sylvania isn’t a major city, but it still exists as a sprawling suburb.
Around the world, towns and cities have disappeared due to wars, famines, diseases, and disasters—both natural and man-made. During the Battle of Verdun in World War I, nine French villages were decimated. Mitchaw suffered a major tornado in 1920, which may have started its decline. Many surrounding towns have also shrunk or disappeared. One named Ai (and it was named long before artificial intelligence came along) is tiny now, but once had its own high school. I wanted to use it as part of my story. Then, one of my beta readers said people will think you are referring to new technology, so I had to choose another place!
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A Doro Banyon Historical Mystery, Book One
College librarian Doro Banyon discovers the body of her nemesis, Professor Hemet Corlon, near the card catalogues when she arrives for work. Evidence points to a terrible accident, but the new school security officer disagrees. Because Doro and Corlon have been at odds over the status of women at the formerly all-male school, she falls under suspicion—and she isn’t alone. Most professors and students supported women’s suffrage and welcomed coeducation, so they stand steadfast against the old-fashioned ideas of Corlon and his handful of powerful cronies. More than one person wanted to see an end to the professor and his ilk. But who made his departure permanent? In seeking answers, Doro joins forces with her best friend to solve the mystery of the catalogued corpse.
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