----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Re the posting from John Shanton of the USGS re the Georgraphic Names
Information System being available at  <http://www-nmd.usgs.gov/www/gnis/>.
  I couldn't get in either and am puzzled too by why the government web pages
are shut down just because the politicians are not doing what they were
elected to do.
 
This data base has been available before, at least it is from AOL where I am.
 Try the following places:
 
First go to the Internet.
2) Then go into Gopher.
3) Then find & click "Geography".
4) Then find & click "USGS Geographic Names Service at Yale Peabody . . ".
5) Then find and click the state in which you wish to search.
6) Then type in the name for which you wish to search and hit return.
7) After the list comes up, click on the one of interest to you.   The answer
you get will show what the name is ("ppl" means populated place), the county
in which it is, and the geographic coordinates (lat. & long.)
 
A slightly different appearing version of the above IS ALSO available from
the World Wide Web.  Just use for an URL the following, (and don't type the
brackets, of course):
                         <GOPHER://GEORGE.PEABODY.YALE.EDU:71/1>
This gets you the list of states to choose from and you can go to step (5)
above.  I've found this place to be busy in the evening hours so try it in
the AM.
 
Yet another source available if you are on the Web is to type in this URL:
                      <GOPHER://CWIS.RICE.EDU:1103/7GEO%20search>
This one gives you a search box in which you first enter the town name.  It
then gives you all EXISTING towns in the US with that name.  You then click
on the one you want and it will give you the info.  This data base doesn't
seem to have abandoned towns but it does give more info about existing towns
than the others.
 
Now I need to go look for Wash. DC e-Mail addresses for Newt and the Toads.
 
Don Wester
Minneapolis, MN