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The Commemorative Quarter for New Jersey







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 identification 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 Clark: 875452

GNIS ID for Union County: 882235

GNIS ID for New Jersey: 1779795

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 Clark:

Place (Community) Code:  13180
State Code:  34 (New Jersey)
County Code:  039 (Union 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:  34/13180
State/County Code:  34/039

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 New Jersey:    34   1779795
Union County:    34/039   882235
Clark:    34/13180   875452

GPS Location - GNIS Coordinates ...

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 Clark, it is a point within Clark 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 Clark, the GNIS GPS location is given as:

Lat:   40° 38' 27"   (or 40.64°)

Lon:   -74° 18' 38"   (or -74.31°)  

Regional Codes ...

For statistical purposes, the US Census Bureau has divided the country into four Regions. Clark is located in Region #1 (the Northeast Region).

In turn, the US Census Bureau has further divided each Region into Divisions. Clark is located in Division #2 (the Middle Atlantic Division).

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has created ten Federal Regions. Clark is located in Region II (Region 2).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created ten Management Regions. Clark is located in Region II (Region 2).

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 community like Clark, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Clark. 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 Clark: 07066<1>

Referenced GNIS Records ...

GNIS ID #875452   (Name of Record: Clark)

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: Union

Map Name: Roselle

Lat: 40.6409361       Lon: -74.3107037  

Elev: 23 ft.

Referenced FIPS Records ...

FIPS Code: 34/13180   (Place Name: Clark)

County: Union     (FIPS State/County: 34/039)

Class: U1

GSA Code: 616

MRF Code: 1470

MSA Code: 5640

Footnotes ...

<1>When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Clark or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS).