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Archiver > TMG > 2001-07 > 0993982249


From: "Ken Nelson" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] County names
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 06:10:49 -0400
References: <001001c0f914$e6c7f4a0$dc429acf@dlbright> <5.1.0.14.0.20010701091731.00b11eb0@ccimap.in2p3.fr>



----- Original Message -----
From: "J. O'Neall" <>


> A good web site is the USGS National Mapping Information at
>
> http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form
>
> If it's not in their data base, it's not in the USA. Btw, it helps to
> know that the "Feature Type" for a town or city is a "Populated place".
>
> Hope this helps -- John

That is not quite true. Many place names have changed or ceased to exist. In
many of the more rural areas of the US once prominent place names are no
longer and were not included in the geobase. Many cemeteries were not
included in the database. I do not know the criteria for inclusion but many
names were forgotten.County names "ought" to be the same, but even some of
them changed boundaries and a town that early on is within one town is
included later in another. Two areas, in particular, in which I know that
this is true are New Hampshire and Nebraska. I am sure that this applies to
others as well, but these are the two which I am familiar with and come to
mind right away.

I would agree that the gnis database is the first place to try, but it
should not be the last!!

Ken Nelson



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