“Weren’t you at Whit’s earlier? I was behind you in line,” says one customer, approaching a fellow fan of the village’s popular frozen custard shop.

“Have you been to the farmers market, yet? I’ll be there tomorrow — I’ll look for you!” says another, extending an invitation to out-of-town guests.

Though it seems like a scene from a small-screen, “everybody knows your name”-style watering hole, the genial spirit of Granville is apparent throughout the town’s New England-inspired streets, and applies to both neighbors and visitors.

From the father-son partnership at the Saturday farmers market — the former sells his artwork while the latter performs songs on his acoustic guitar — to the children’s cries of “Toby!” as the village’s popular carriage driver and her slow-hoofing companion pass by, the air of neighborly affection is contagious.

In fact, it’s a sense of community — an interconnectedness of the village’s educational institutions, businesses, art establishments and citizens — that sets Granville apart.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kerry Dixon, co-president of the Granville Studio of Visual Arts (GSVA), says. “You just cannot believe the number of people who rolled up their sleeves to get [the Studio’s] building done. … It’s unbelievable what this community has accomplished,” Dixon says of the renovated gallery, which was transformed from a vacant building on the historic Bryn Du Mansion estate into an arts program for children. One of village’s most recent success stories, GSVA works closely with the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, a group of educators focused on enhancing arts education. It’s one of many examples of the community’s commitment to education.

“Granville is an amazing place, and the people, when they get behind something, really get behind it,” Todd Camp, GSVA’s director of arts education, adds. “Everyone is so passionate about this community.”

Settled in 1805 by settlers from Granville, Massachusetts, and Granby, Connecticut, the community’s residents have a long-established tradition of working and prospering together.

Today, residents work painstakingly to preserve their history; both the Robbins Hunter Museum and the Granville Historical Society Museum offer docent-led tours, providing guests and citizens alike with a glimpse at the Granville of yesteryear. Highlights include the grand antique collection at the Robbins Hunter Museum and the old-fashioned gadgets at the Historical Society Museum.

In Granville, there’s much to be proud of. The village’s schools have an “excellent with distinction” rating from the Ohio Department of Education, while Denison University, located on a hill just above the town, is regarded as one of the Midwest’s best liberal arts schools. The village is a constant hub of activity, and the university’s Division III sports teams, arts programs, lectures and community outreach programs keeping residents’ weeks filled.

A spirit of community pride is noticeable throughout the village, particularly in the excitement you hear when people speak of their hometown. It’s a pride that residents certainly have a right to — after all, a town is a reflection of its people.