ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (ajs) (04/02/85)
This is a pointer to a source of data from the US government.
If you need a geographic locations data base, including names,
latitudes, longitudes, elevations, etc., don't do what I did, which was
gather it from atlases. Instead, you can order an incredible quantity
and quality of such data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
National Cartographic Information Center (NCIC). They've digitized from
best available maps the name, location, type, etc. for just about every
named node, line, or area in the entire country. There are thousands of
entries for each State.
Unfortunately, they don't advertise themselves very well. It took
several years of occasional calls, letters, and library visits to
stumble over the information below. Even the local USGS office did not
know about the computer mapping project. To get straight information
you should contact the central office:
Geographic Names Information Management
National Center, Stop 523
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, Virginia 22092
703-860-6262
From this source you can get a couple of handouts which describe the
data available. You can get each State's data in the form of:
* Mag tape ....... $75
* Printed book(s) $29
* Microfiche ..... $ 2
For example, the Colorado printout (which I happened upon at a library)
is two volumes, totalling about four inches thick, entitled:
Colorado Geographic Names Alphabetical Finding List (917.88)
Please contact them for more information.
Alan Silverstein, Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division, Colorado
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!ajs, 303-226-3800 x3053, N 40 31'31" W 105 00'43"