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Miscellaneous Information


Various Identification Codes ...

GNIS Codes ...

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) was created to address the problems caused by spelling and naming variations. The BGN will usually recognize an existing name or, when necessary, establish a new name for a geographic feature (such as a mountain, lake, river, stream, city, town, village, dam, bridge, etc).

The BGN names are kept in a database called the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and it is the official Federal repository. The GNIS is operated and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

A unique and permanent number has been assigned for each name in the GNIS database. These names and identifiers are definitive and it is intended that they are to be used by all departments of the Federal Government:

GNIS ID for Detroit: 2406377

GNIS ID for Lamar County: 161563

GNIS ID for Alabama: 1779775

FIPS Codes ...

In a past effort, various federal agencies created a set of codes with a purpose similar to the GNIS codes. These codes are called the Federal Information Processing Standard (or the FIPS 55 codes). Although they are still used by some organizations, the FIPS codes are obsolete and will ultimately be replaced by the GNIS codes.

The following FIPS codes apply to Detroit:

Place (Community) Code:  20392
State Code:  01 (Alabama)
County Code:  075 (Lamar County)

Since the Place and County FIPS codes are not unique and can be repeated in other States, it's necessary to combine the State code with the Place and County FIPS codes to uniquely identify them - for example:

State/Place Code:  01/20392
State/County Code:  01/075

As already mentioned, the FIPS codes are to be replaced by the GNIS codes. The following reflect those changes:

 FIPS Code
translates to    
GNIS Code
State of Alabama:    01   1779775
Lamar County:    01/075   161563
Detroit:    01/20392   2406377

GPS Location - GNIS vs Census ...

An important aspect of the GNIS code is that it assigns a GPS location (the latitude/longitude) to the geographic feature. This location is simply a point on the map and does not represent the size or shape of the feature. In the case of Detroit, it is a point within Detroit that might be a post office, the city hall or simply an intersection - the point should really be considered arbitrary and only indicating a general location.

For Detroit, the GNIS GPS location is given as:

Lat:   34° 1' 41"   (or 34.03°)

Lon:   -88° 10' 5"   (or -88.17°)  

Determined by its statistical needs, the Census Bureau has defined a sampling area for Detroit - this area also contains a map point. As with the GNIS code, the location of the Census point should be considered as being arbitrary within the sampling area.

For Detroit, the Census 2010 GPS location is given as:

Lat:   34° 1' 38"   (or 34.03°)

Lon:   -88° 10' 4"   (or -88.17°)  

The map point defined by the Census Bureau lies 317.7 feet to the south<1> of the point given by the GNIS (see above).

You might note that the GPS location given for the 2010 Census is different than the location that was specified by the 2000 Census:

Lat:   34° 1' 33"   (or 34.03°)

Lon:   -88° 10' 18"   (or -88.17°)  

The GPS location given for the 2000 Census lies 1,323 feet to the southwest<2> of the point given by the 2010 Census.

Regional Codes ...

For statistical purposes, the US Census Bureau has divided the country into four Regions. Detroit is located in Region #3 (the South Region).

In turn, the US Census Bureau has further divided each Region into Divisions. Detroit is located in Division #6 (the East South-Central Division).

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has created ten Federal Regions. Detroit is located in Region IV (Region 4).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created ten Management Regions. Detroit is located in Region IV (Region 4).

ZIP Codes ...

While some people have used a ZIP code to identify a community, the purpose of the ZIP code was to make mail delivery more efficient by grouping addresses together. Although the ZIP Code doesn't specifically identify a town like Detroit, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Detroit. It's important to remember that the boundaries of a ZIP Code are defined by the needs of the USPS and can be changed, re-assigned or overlapped with other ZIP Codes.

The ZIP code for Detroit: 35552<3>

Referenced GNIS Records ...

GNIS ID #117242   (Name of Record: Detroit)

Class: populated place

A place or area having clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent population (such as a city, settlement, town or village). The boundaries may or may not coincide with the perceived population.

A 'populated place' record may have a corresponding 'census' or 'civil' record. The information contained in the 'populated place' record applies only to the class and should not be confused with either the 'census' and 'civil' classes.

County: Lamar

Map Name: Detroit

Lat: 34.0281608       Lon: -88.1700368  

Elev: 110 ft.


GNIS ID #2406377   (Name of Record: Town of Detroit)

Class: civil

A political division formed for administrative purposes (such as a borough, county, incorporated place, parish, town or township).

A 'civil' record may have a corresponding 'census' or 'populated place' record. The information contained in the 'civil' record applies only to the class and should not be confused with either the 'census' and 'populated place' classes.

County: Lamar

Map Name: Detroit

Lat: 34.0282235       Lon: -88.168088  

Elev: 116 ft.

Referenced FIPS Records ...

FIPS Code: 01/20392   (Place Name: Detroit)

County: Lamar     (FIPS State/County: 01/075)

Class: C1

Identifies an incorporated place (ie- Detroit) that does not serve as a primary county division - or in other words, it is included in and is part of a primary county division (ie- Lamar County).

GSA Code: 905

MRF Code: 490

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Detroit. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for State of Alabama: https://www.alabama.gov/


The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau

The official website of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

The official website of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Footnotes ...

<1>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS-supplied location is 194 degrees and a distance of 317.7 feet.
<2>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2000 Census location is 114 degrees and a distance of 1,323 feet.
<3>When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Detroit or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS).









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 09 Mar 2024