Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
These metadata describe the Geographic Names Information System holdings of the USGS for the conterminous United States. This is a data-set level implementation of the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata.
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication_Date: 19810501
Title: Geographic Names Information System
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Description:
Abstract:
An automated inventory of the names and locations of physical and cultural geographic
features located throughout the United States
Purpose:
To promote geographic feature name standardization and to serve as the Federal
Government's repository of information regarding feature name spellings and
applications for features in U.S. The names listed in the inventory can be published
on Federal maps, charts, and in other documents. The feature locative information has
been used in emergency preparedness, marketing, site-selection and analysis,
genealogical and historical research, and transportation routing applications.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: Unknown
Ending_Date: Present
Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Status:
Progress: In work.
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed.
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -180.00
East_Bounding_Coordinate: 172.00
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 72.00
South_Bounding_Coordinate: -12.00
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None.
Theme_Keyword: geographic feature
Theme_Keyword: feature name
Theme_Keyword: place name
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None.
Place_Keyword: United States
Place_Keyword: Territories
Place_Keyword: Outlying Areas
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints: None
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Roger L. Payne
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Chief, Branch of Geographic Names
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 523 National Center
City: Reston
State_or_Province: Virginia
Postal_Code: 20192
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 703 648 4544
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rpayne@usgs.gov
Hours_of_Service: 0730-1700
Data_Set_Credit:
The Geographic Names Information System was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey
in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
The Geographic Names Information System is resident on a Sun Enterprise 4000
computer. It uses Sun Solaris Version 2.6 as its operating system. The system contains
approximately 1.5 million records, averaging 500 bytes in length.
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
A random sample of 10% of the entries in the system were visually verified against the
compilation source data (large-scale USGS topographic maps) to ensure an accuracy
rate of at least 95%.
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Locative references (geographic coordinates, topographic map, and county) are
cross-checked for logical consistency.
Completeness_Report:
This dataset contains information about physical and cultural geographic features
identified by a proper name, with the exception of most roads and highways.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
Accuracy of these digital data is based upon the use of source graphics which are
compiled to meet National Map Accuracy Standards. Comparision to the graphic
source is used as control to assess digital positional accuracy.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication_Date: unknown
Title: 1:24,000-scale topographic maps
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
Type_of_Source_Media: paper
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: unknown
Ending_Date: present
Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS
Source_Contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Publication_Date: Unpublished material
Title: Records of the U.S. BGN
Type_of_Source_Media: card files
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1932
Ending_Date: present
Source_Currentness_Reference: creation date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USBGN
Source_Contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: U.S. Forest Service
Publication_Date: unknown
Title: U.S. Forest Service 1:24,000-scale topographic maps
Type_of_Source_Media: paper
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: unknown
Ending_Date: present
Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USFS
Source_Contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
GNIS Phase I data compilation and edit--Feature name and attribute data are collected
from the largest-scale USGS topographic maps available. These data are compared to
the records of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS, USBGN
Process_Date: 198105
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Roger L. Payne
Process_Date: not complete
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Robin D. Worcester
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Chief, Geographic Names Information Section
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 523 National Center
City: Reston
State_or_Province: Virginia
Postal_Code: 20192
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 703 648 4551
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rworcest@usgs.gov
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
GNIS Maintenance program--Maintenance cooperators feed GNIS new names and
corrections discovered in the course of new mapping and revision activities and
implementation of the national geographic names standarization program.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: USBGN, USGS, USFS
Process_Date: ongoing
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Robin D. Worcester
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Chief, Geographic Names Information Section
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 523 National Center
City: Reston
State_or_Province: Virginia
Postal_Code: 20192
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 703 648 4551
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rworcest@usgs.gov
Hours_of_Service: 0900-1700
Indirect_Spatial_Reference:
Features are located by State and county, and related to the USGS topographic map on
which the feature is shown.
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: point
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: point
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Geographic:
Latitude_Resolution: 1
Longitude_Resolution: 1
Geographic_Coordinate_Units: degrees, minutes, and seconds
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
The dataset contains records for named geographic features located in the United States,
its Territories and Outlying Areas. The records are organized by State (or State
equivalent). Each record includes: the official name of the feature; the feature type; the
county(s) in which the feature is located; the name(s) of the USGS 1:24,000-scale
topographic map(s) on which the feature is shown; geographic coordinates locating the
mouth of linear features and the approximate center of areal features, and coordinates
locating the feature on each additional (if any) USGS 1:24,000-scale map on which the
feature is shown; a bibliographic code referring to the source of information for each
record, and other names by which the feature may be or may have been known. Some
records include information about the history of the feature or the origin of the feature
name.
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 1987
Geographic Names Information System--Data Users Guide 6;
Reston, Virginia
Softcopy in hypertext format is available at:
http://geonames.usgs.gov/gnis_users_guide_toc.html
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: Earth Science Information Center, U.S.Geological Survey
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 507 National Center
City: Reston
State_or_Province: Virginia
Postal_Code: 20192
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 888 ASK USGS
Hours_of_Service:
In addition to the address above there are other ESIC offices throughout the country.
A full list of these offices is available at:
http://mapping.usgs.gov/esic/esic_index.html
Resource_Description: Geographic Names Information System
Distribution_Liability:
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the
U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the USGS
regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution
constitute any such warranty. The Geological Survey will warrant the delivery of this
product in computer-readable format, and will offer appropriate adjustment of credit when
the product is determined unreadable by correctly adjusted computer input peripherals, or
when the physical medium is delivered in damaged condition. Requests for adjustment of
credit must be made within 90 day from the date of this shipment from the ordering site.
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name:
http://geonames.usgs.gov/geonames/stategaz/index.html
Metadata_Date: 19950121
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 508 National Center
City: Reston
State_or_Province: Virginia
Postal_Code: 20192
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 703 648 4543
Metadata_Standard_Name: Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: 19940608