-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: naming natural features Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:21:01 -0400 From: Jeff Essic <[log in to unmask]> To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship <[log in to unmask]> Ken, If I were in your situation here in North Carolina, I would get in touch with our NC Board on Geographic Names to ask these questions and start the process. The US BGN has a page that links to all other boards across the country and Internationally that are of a similar vein at http://geonames.usgs.gov/links/index.html. Unfortunately, the Ohio link is dead, so you might have to do some more digging to figure out who to contact. But the process basically involves getting newly named geographical features and name changes approved at the state level first, and then they are sent to the US BGN for federal level adoption into the GNIS, as I understand it. Best Regards, Jeff Essic -------------------------------------------------- Jeff Essic, Data Services Librarian North Carolina State University D.H. Hill Library, Research & Information Services Box 7111, Raleigh, NC 27695-7111 (919) 515-5698 http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/gis On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 4:28 PM, Angie Cope, American Geographical Society Library, UW Milwaukee <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: -------- Original Message -------- Subject: naming natural features Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:27:12 -0400 From: Grabach, Kenneth A. Mr. <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> I have been recently involved in some research on local history and local geography involving some streams and mills that were once located in the area. The attempts to locate these places have proved interesting, but at times challenging. One of the largest challenges is that the modern topographic maps might show some of the streams, but these streams are not labeled with any name at all. Some older locally produced maps do name some of these features. I have found the Policies and Procedures of the US Board on Geographic Names, and the form Domestic Geographic Name Report which is provided as Appendix C of the manual. Does anyone have any experience or insights regarding proposing names for natural features where the features are not named on government produced maps? I think, based on some obvious local usage, with names historically associated with the farms, mills and streams, that it would be worthwhile to have these names recorded and to become part of the database of names. It is also worthwhile to have these features named on later editions of the topographic maps. I am not seeking to change existing names, but simply to have names recorded where none currently appear. Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Maps Librarian Phone: 513-529-1726 <tel:513-529-1726> Miami University Libraries Oxford, Ohio 45056 USA