Metadata for Montana Names Text File from the Geographic Names Information System, 2005 Metadata for Montana Names Text File from the Geographic Names Information System, 2005
Identification Information:
Citation:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date: 06/07/2005
Title:
Montana Names Text File from the Geographic Names Information System, 2005
Publication place: Reston, Virginia
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Larger Work Citation:
Title: Montana Geographic Names Framework
Online linkage: http://mslapps.mt.gov/Geographic_Information/Data/DataList/datalist_Details.aspx?did={0c57ebe2-f8e8-4d55-b159-ab3202898956}

Abstract:
This is the text file that was available from the U.S. Board of Geographic Names web site (http://geonames.usgs.gov) on June 7, 2005. The data are not in a GIS format, but the file is a structured file that can easily be used with GIS. The State Library used this file for an update of the GNIS shapefile that was available on its web site in 2005, but the shapefile is no longer available. This file contains over 20,000 records for un-named mines, wells, and springs that the State Library has traditionally removed from the GNIS data that it distributes.

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), contains information about physical and cultural geographic features in the United States and associated areas, both current and historical, but not including roads and highways. The database holds the Federally recognized name of each feature and defines the location of the feature by state, county, USGS topographic map, and geographic coordinates. The GNIS is our Nation's official repository of domestic geographic feature names information.

This file gives the latitude and longitude of the primary point of each feature. A geographic feature may have only one primary point regardless of size or extent. A point feature is defined by this single set of coordinates on the USGS National Base Map series at a scale of 1:24000 or 1:25000. The primary point of a linear feature depends on the feature class. If feature class equals stream, valley or arroyo, the primary point is the mouth. The primary point of a canal, channel, or trail is the center. The primary point of a ridge is the highest point. The primary point of an areal feature is the approximate geographic center with the following exceptions: The primary point of a populated place is the center of original place such as the city or town hall, main post office, or town square regardless of changes over time. The primary point of a reservoir is the center of the dam. The primary point of a summit, range, ridge, or pillar is the highest point. The primary point has a sequence number of 1. These points do not represent boundaries or geometries and should not be confused with them. An application may be displayed as latitude and longitude data or as a point in a geographic information system, and may be applied as label points.
Purpose:
The GNIS is the official vehicle for geographic names use by the Federal Government and the source for applying geographic names to Federal maps and other products. The GNIS supports the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), a Federal body created in 1890 and established in its present form by Public Law in 1947. The Board serves the Federal Government, other government agencies, and the public as the central authority to which name inquiries, name issues, and new name proposals can be directed. The GNIS provides the data to government agencies and to the public. The GNIS also supports the U.S. Geological Survey National Map (http://nationalmap.usgs.gov/) as the source for the gazetteer search in The National Map viewer and as an active layer in The National Map for Federal boundaries and geographic features not available from state or local sources.

Time period of content:
Calendar date: 06/07/2005
Currentness reference: Publication Date
Access constraints: None
Use constraints:
While this data set is useful for locating features, it is not intended to locate what features are near a location or within a given area. Large features such as streams and national forests are represented here by a single point, and the absence from the GNIS of a point for a feature in any area does not mean the feature is not in that area.

The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
Point of contact:
Roger L. Payne
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, Virginia 20192


Telephone: 703-648-4544
E-Mail: gnis_manager@usgs.gov


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.
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Data Quality Information:
Attribute accuracy report:
During Phase I data compilation, 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%. Subsequent data compilation and input processes ensure accuracy with programmed validation checks for format and content, visual examination, and spot checks of data.

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.


Lineage:
Source information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date: 2005
Title: Topographic Maps
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source information:
Originator: U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Publication date: Unpublished material
Title: Records of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source information:
Originator: U.S. Forest Service
Publication date: 2005
Title:
U.S. Forest Service 1:24,000 scale topographic maps and vistor maps.
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source information:
Originator: National Ocean Service
Publication date: 2005
Title: National Ocean Service charts.
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information
Source information:
Originator: State Names Authorities
Originator: Council of Geographic Names Authorities (COGNA)
Originator: National Park Service (NPS)
Originator: Federal, state and local agencies
Originator: Public
Originator: Other Sources
Publication date: 2005
Title:
Public maps, databases, directories, and user-submitted corrections.
Other citation details:
GNIS accepts data or data changes for consideration from any source, and upon validation by the Board on Geographic Names or the appropriate Federal or state agency, will enter the data into the database.
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information

Process step:
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 and U.S. Forest Service maps, Office of Coast Survey charts, Federal Aviation Administration files, Federal Communications Commission files, and files of the Army Corps of Engineers.
Process date: 1981
Process step:
GNIS Phase II data compilation and edit

Feature name and attribute data are collected from State, locally, and privately published current and historical maps, charts, and texts.
Process contact:
Roger L. Payne
Chief, Geographic Names Project
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192


Telephone: 703-648-4544
E-Mail: gnis_manager@usgs.gov


Process step:
GNIS Maintenance program

Federal and state maintenance cooperators submit new and corrected data in conjunction with their mapping and geographical information system data maintenance programs. Data is submitted using web data entry and edit forms and batch file processes. Agencies interested in participating in this program should contact the individual specified below.
Process contact:
Roger L. Payne
Chief, Geographic Names Project
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192


Telephone: 703-648-4544
E-Mail: gnis_manager@usgs.gov


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Spatial Data Organization Information:
Point and vector object information:
SDTS object type: Point
SDTS object count: 76933
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Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal coordinate system definition:
Latitude/Longitude:
Geographic coordinate units: Decimal Degrees
Geodetic model:
Horizontal datum name: North American Datum of 1927
Ellipsoid name: Clarke 1866
Semi-major axis: 6378206.4
Denominator of flattening ratio: 294.978698214
Altitude system definition:
Altitude datum name: NGVD29
Altitude resolution: 1
Altitude distance units: FEET
Altitude encoding method: Attribute values
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Entity and Attribute Information:
Entity type label: MT_Features_20050607
Entity type definition:
A geographic feature is any relatively permanent part of the natural or manmade landscape or seascape that has recognizable identity within a particular cultural context. The primary attributes of a geographic feature are name and location.

Attribute label: GNIS_ID
Attribute definition: Board of Geographic Names unique ID number

Attribute label: State_Abbrev
Attribute definition:
Two-character U.S. Postal abbreviation for the state that contains the feature's primary point

Attribute label: Name
Attribute definition: Official Feature Name

Attribute label: Type
Attribute definition: Feature Type


Attribute
Value
Definition of
Attribute Value
Airport manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft (airfield, airstrip, landing field, landing strip)
Arch natural arch-like opening in a rock mass (bridge, natural bridge, sea arch)
Area any one of several areally extensive natural features not included in other categories (badlands, barren, delta, fan, garden)
Arroyo watercourse or channel through which water may occasionally flow (coulee, draw, gully, wash)
Bar natural accumulation of sand, gravel, or alluvium forming an underwater or exposed embankment (ledge, reef, sandbar, shoal, spit)
Basin natural depression or relatively low area enclosed by higher land (amphitheater, cirque, pit, sink)
Bay indentation of a coastline or shoreline enclosing a part of a body of water; a body of water partly surrounded by land (arm, bight, cove, estuary, gulf, inlet, sound)
Beach the sloping shore along a body of water that is washed by waves or tides and is usually covered by sand or gravel (coast, shore, strand)
Bench area of relatively level land on the flank of an elevation such as a hill, ridge, or mountain where the slope of the land rises on one side and descends on the opposite side
Bend curve in the course of a stream and (or) the land within the curve; a curve in a linear body of water (bottom, loop, meander)
Bridge manmade structure carrying a trail, road, or other transportation system across a body of water or depression (causeway, overpass, trestle)
Building a manmade structure with walls and a roof for protection of people and (or) materials, but not including church, hospital, or school
Canal manmade waterway used by watercraft or for drainage, irrigation, mining, or water power (ditch, lateral)
Cape projection of land extending into a body of water (lea, neck, peninsula, point)
Cemetery a place or area for burying the dead (burial, burying ground, grave, memorial garden)
Channel linear deep part of a body of water through which the main volume of water flows and is frequently used as aroute for watercraft (passage, reach, strait, thoroughfare, throughfare)
Church building used for religious worship (chapel, mosque, synagogue, tabernacle, temple)
Civil political division formed for administrative purposes (borough, county, municipio, parish, town, township)
Cliff very steep or vertical slope (bluff, crag, head, headland, nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim, rimrock)
Crater circular-shaped depression at the summit of a volcanic cone or one on the surface of the land caused by the impact of a meteorite; a manmade depression caused by an explosion (caldera, lua)
Crossing a place where two or more routes of transportation form a junction or intersection (overpass, underpass)
Dam water barrier or embankment built across the course of a stream or into a body of water to control and (or) impound the flow of water (breakwater, dike, jetty)
Falls perpendicular or very steep fall of water in the course of a stream (cascade, cataract, waterfall)
Flat relative level area within a region of greater relief (clearing, glade, playa)
Forest bounded area of woods, forest, or grassland under the administration of a political agency (see "woods") (national forest, national grasslands, State forest)
Gap low point or opening between hills or mountains or in a ridge or mountain range (col, notch, pass, saddle, water gap, wind gap)
Glacier body or stream of ice moving outward and downslope from an area of accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top or side of a mountain or mountainous area (icefield, ice patch, snow patch)
Gut relatively small coastal waterway connecting larger bodies of water or other waterways (creek, inlet, slough)
Harbor sheltered area of water where ships or other watercraft can anchor or dock (hono, port, roads, roadstead)
Hospital building where the sick or injured may receive medical or surgical attention (infirmary)
Island area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low wetland (archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, isla, isle, key, moku, rock)
Lake natural body of inland water (backwater, lac, lagoon, laguna, pond, pool, resaca, waterhole)
Levee natural or manmade embankment flanking a stream (bank, berm)
Locale place at which there is or was human activity; it does not include populated places, mines, and dams (battlefield, crossroad, camp, farm, ghost town, landing, railroad siding, ranch, ruins, site, station, windmill)
Military (historical) place or facility formerly used for various aspects of or relating to military activity
Mine place or area from which commercial minerals are or were removed from the Earth; not including oilfield (pit, quarry, shaft)
Oilfield area where petroleum is or was removed from the Earth
Park place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or natural resource and under some form of government administration; not including National or State forests or Reserves (national historical landmark, national park, State park, wilderness area)
Pillar vertical, standing, often spire-shaped, natural rock formation (chimney, monument, pinnacle, pohaku, rock tower)
Plain a region of general uniform slope, comparatively level and of considerable extent (grassland, highland, kula, plateau, upland)
Populated Place place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village
Post Office an official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and distributing mail and other postal material
Range chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
Rapids fast-flowing section of a stream, often shallow and with exposed rock or boulders (riffle, ripple)
Reserve a tract of land set aside for a specific use (does not include forests, civil divisions, parks)
Reservoir artificially impounded body of water (lake, tank)
Ridge elevation with a narrow, elongated crest which can be part of a hill or mountain (crest, cuesta, escarpment, hogback, lae, rim, spur)
School building or group of buildings used as an institution for study, teaching, and learning (academy, college, high school, university)
Slope a gently inclined part of the Earth's surface (grade, pitch)
Spring place where underground water flows naturally to the surface of the Earth (seep)
Stream linear body of water flowing on the Earth's surface (anabranch, awawa, bayou, branch, brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, river, run, slough)
Summit prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the Earth's surface; does not include pillars, ridges, or ranges (ahu, berg, bald, butte, cerro, colina, cone, cumbre, dome, head, hill, horn, knob, knoll, mauna, mesa, mesita, mound, mount, mountain, peak, puu, rock, sugarloaf, table, volcano)
Swamp poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy, possibly covered with open water (bog, cienega, marais, marsh, pocosin)
Tower a manmade structure, higher than its diameter, generally used for observation, storage, or electronic transmission
Trail route for passage from one point to another; does not include roads or highways (jeep trail, path, ski trail)
Tunnel linear underground passageway open at both ends
Valley linear depression in the Earth's surface that generally slopes from one end to the other (barranca, canyon, chasm, cove, draw, glen, gorge, gulch, gulf, hollow, ravine)
Well manmade shaft or hole in the Earth's surface used to obtain fluid or gaseous materials

Attribute label: County
Attribute definition: Name of the County the feature's primary point is in

Attribute label: State_FIPS
Attribute definition:
FIPS code number of the State the feature's primary point is in

Attribute label: County_FIPS
Attribute definition:
FIPS code number of the County the feature's primary point is in

Attribute label: Lat_DMS
Attribute definition:
Latitude of the feature's primary point in degrees, minutes, and seconds, NAD27.

Attribute label: Lon_DMS
Attribute definition:
Longitude of the feature's primary point in degrees, minutes, and seconds, NAD27.

Attribute label: Latitude
Attribute definition:
Latitude of the feature's primary point in decimal degrees, NAD27.

Attribute label: Longitude
Attribute definition:
Longitude of the feature's primary point in decimal degrees, NAD27.

Attribute label: S_Lat_DMS
Attribute definition:
Latitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream in degrees, minutes, and seconds, NAD27.

Attribute label: S_Lon_DMS
Attribute definition:
Longitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream in degrees, minutes, and seconds, NAD27.

Attribute label: S_Latitude
Attribute definition:
Latitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream in decimal degrees, NAD27.

Attribute label: S_Longitude
Attribute definition:
Longitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream in decimal degrees, NAD27.

Attribute label: Elevation
Attribute definition:
The elevation above sea level of the feature at the primary point (positive number). Elevations are entered into the Geographic Names Information System primarily from USGS maps and other textual sources. Elevation is for information only and is not to be considered authoritative.

Attribute label: Population
Attribute definition:
Population of the feature, 2000, if it is a place recognized by the Census Bureau

Attribute label: Status
Attribute definition:
If the feature's name has been the subject of a ruling by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, this field will contain the string BGN followed by the year of the ruling.

Attribute label: Quadrangle
Attribute definition:
Name of 7.5-minute USGS quadrangle the feature's primary point is in.

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Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Montana State Library
PO Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800


Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov


Resource description: Offline Data


Distribution liability:
The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
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Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata date: 03/31/2015
Metadata review date: 02/28/2003
Metadata contact:
Montana State Library
P.O. Box 201800
Helena, Montana 59620-1800


Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov


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