Like many rural areas, it is difficult to define the exact boundaries of "Lyle". What I would consider "Lyle" may differ greatly from what a person would have considered "Lyle" one hundred years ago. Businesses, organizations, governmental boundaries and personal preferences influence what a person thinks of as Lyle. Defining a larger area as Lyle imposes artificial boundaries where none really exist. However, it is necessary to limit the scope of Lyle to allow for more focused research.

I define Lyle as the people, places, events and organizations in Lyle, surrounding townships and school district

• The city or village of Lyle, past and present
• All of Lyle and Nevada townships
• Past and present Lyle school district borders, including country schools that became part of the Lyle school district
• Any person who lived or attending school in Lyle at any time for any length of time
• Any person who owned a business or worked in Lyle, attended church in or belonged to any organization based in Lyle
• All people, businesses and organizations that had a 325-prefix telephone number or 55953 zip code
• Descendents of early settlers of Lyle, regardless of if they themselves ever lived in Lyle

Problems with this definition

The most immediate problems with this definition are with township boundaries, and the towns of Mona and London. The school district of Lyle contains most (but not all of) Nevada township, as well as parts of Austin township, London township (Freeborn County) and Oakland township (Freeborn County).

For simplicity of demographic research, "Lyle" will be considered all of Lyle township, Nevada township and the city/village of Lyle. This includes some portions of Nevada county that are not really in the Lyle school district and may be closer to Rose Creek. It also excludes all of London and other parts of the western school district boundaries. But this allows reporting of things at the precinct and census boundary levels. I expect that there are no substantial demographic changes across these boundaries.

Explicitly in scope

• Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Mona
• Mona Lutheran Church
• Various country schools TBD

Out of Scope

• Events and people that are generally considered part of the communities of Austin, Adams, Rose Creek, Glenville or St. Ansgar
• History of Mona (Hustad), London or Otranto except where it directly impacts Lyle or its residents
• Any part of Iowa except as directly related to Mona or Lyle residents
• Larger events in Minnesota, Mower County or Austin that may have had a major impact on the area. (e.g. the 1985-86 Hormel Strike)