-------- Original Message -------- Subject: RE: Re: Townships as "non-local" entities Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 15:20:26 -0500 From: Zellmer, Linda R <[log in to unmask]> To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]> Hello All, Actually, this may not be the case. Some states dissolve the township association when an area is incorporated. While a city or village may contain area that falls within a township, I am not sure whether the association is made by the Census Bureau (they may report the stats for the village or city, rather than the township). Also, when I was in Arizona, we occasionally had snowbirds come in asking for the name of their townships. While the Western states do have the obligatory section, township and range layout, the townships often are not named. Linda Zellmer -----Original Message----- From: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Maps-L Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 12:36 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Townships as "non-local" entities -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Townships as "non-local" entities Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 17:26:45 GMT From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Hmmm....not exactly... Everywhere in the USA belongs to exactly one Minor Civil Division. If I am following this thread correctly, then the northern part of the City of Mason, MI belongs to Alaiedon Township, while the southern part belongs to Vevay Township. If you were to put MCD's in a GIS and do a query for a point within the city of Mason, it would return "City of Mason" and that's all. There's another layer called "Census Designated Places/Incorporated Places" that is not wall-to-wall. For the cities of Michigan, CDP appears identical to MCD, but then take a look at the city of Williamston. At first glance, it would appear to be partially in Williamston Township, and partially in Wheatfield Township. But there are a couple of polygons that are specifically labeled "Williamston Township" south of certain fingers of the city. But if you draw a horizontal line connecting these polygons, you cross a finger of Wheatfield Township, but there is no boundary. My conclusion: if you live in Williamston city, you better just know what township you live in, because TIGER won't tell you. Joe McCollum FIA Knoxvile, TN