Miscellaneous Information
So far, we found very little information about Otis Chalk. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Otis Chalk to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Otis Chalk, please Contact Us.
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 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 code 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 Otis Chalk: 2034925
GNIS ID for Howard County: 1383899
GNIS ID for Texas: 1779801
FIPS Codes ...
In a past effort, various federal agencies worked together to create 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 Otis Chalk:
| Place (Community) Code: | 54384 |
| State Code: | 48 (Texas) |
| County Code: | 227 (Howard 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: | 48/54384 |
| State/County Code: | 48/227 |
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 Texas: | 48 | 1779801 | |
| Howard County: | 48/227 | 1383899 | |
| Otis Chalk: | 48/54384 | 2034925 |
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 Otis Chalk, it is a point within Otis Chalk 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 Otis Chalk, the GNIS GPS location is given as:
Lat: 32° 7' 40" (or 32.13°)
Lon: -101° 15' 26" (or -101.26°)
Regional Codes ...
For statistical purposes, the US Census Bureau has divided the country into four Regions. Otis Chalk would have been located in Region #3 (the South Region).
In turn, the US Census Bureau has further divided each Region into Divisions. Otis Chalk would have been located in Division #7 (the West South-Central Division).
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has created ten Federal Regions. Otis Chalk would have been located in Region VI (Region 6).
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created ten Management Regions. Otis Chalk would have been located in Region VI (Region 6).
Referenced GNIS Records ...
GNIS ID #2034925 (Name of Record: Otis Chalk)
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: Howard
Map Name: Moss Creek Lake
Lat: 32.1279034 Lon: -101.2573408
Elev: 738 ft.
Referenced FIPS Records ...
FIPS Code: 48/54384 (Place Name: Otis Chalk)
County: Howard (FIPS State/County: 48/227)
Class: U8
Identifies a populated place (in this case, Otis Chalk) located wholly or substantially outside the boundaries of an incorporated place or CDP (Census Designated Place) but whose name has not been verified as authoritative by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for State of Texas: https://texas.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> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Otis Chalk, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |