2007 Lexington, KY

The 2007
Council of Geographic Names Authorities
in the United States
Annual Geographic Names Conference

Co-Hosted by the
Kentucky Committee on Geographic Names
Mr. Robert Rennick, Chairman
Conference Chair

The 2007 COGNA Geographic Names Conference was held from Tuesday, October 2 through Saturday October 6, in Lexington, Kentucky. Business sessions and accommodations were at the Ramada Inn Conference Center, 2143 North Broadway, Lexington, KY 40505.

The Kentucky Committee on Geographic Names held a special meeting Tuesday afternoon followed by the Welcoming Reception. The agenda included an opening address by Kenny Ratliff, Director of the Kentucky GIS Program, a meeting of the Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, and the important State-Federal Roundtable. Sessions were devoted to specific topics including Name Selection for Commercial Maps; Place-Name Pronunciations; an update on the GNIS/Kentucky Phase II program; a session on Education / Outreach; and more. Also, an update on what is happening at the USGS National Geospatial Program reorganization was provided by Bill Carswell. The Banquet on Friday evening featured a selection of three entrées, three vegetables, three salads, and an assortment of desserts. Dr. John Kleber, Retired Professor of History, Morehead State University and Editor of the Kentucky and Louisville Encyclopedias provided a wonderful view of names in Kentucky.

The Saturday, Oct. 6 Toponymic Tour (8:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.) provided glimpses of Kentucky’s colorful names with stops at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, State Capitol, Three Chimney’s Horse Farm and the Kentucky History Center.

PROGRAM

Ramada Inn & Conference Center

Lexington, Kentucky

October 2—6, 2007

Bill Hieronymus and Scott Hankla handling registrations with Renee Lewis and Chick Fagan

Chairman Bob Rennick holds an Informal meeting of the Kentucky Geographic Names Committee that was joined by neighboring States for “A discussion on name standards and procedures used by the Midwest & Upper South State Names Authorities”

Wednesday (Oct. 3)

The Conference Opening by Mr. Robert Rennick, 2007 Conference Chair featured a challenge to delegates to consider several important names issues

Executive Secretary's Welcome; Executive Secretary Furr yielded the podium to Ms. Jane Messenger who made a special presentations to the Kentucky Committee

Ms. Messenger continued with a surprise presentation to Executive Secretary Furr

Mr. Furr extended a welcome to all attendees with a special welcome to first-time attendees. Ms. Renee Lewis, representing the Hawaii Geographic Names Board and Ms. Pamela Faber, University of Granada (Spain) were applauded for traveling the greatest distance

The Opening Address was provided by Kenny Ratliff, Director of the Kentucky Division of Geographic Information provided a comprehensive review of map and data base preparation in Kentucky. Click on the first photo for the PowerPoint presentation.

Bill Carswell, USGS Geospatial Programs Office provided an update on the status of the Geospatial Programs Office’s geographic names program and the Geographic Names Information System

The Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names began with staff reports

Meeting of the Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Geographic Names Cases. The meeting was opened by Chairwoman Betsy Kanalley who introduced the incoming Chairman, Curt Loy. Dr. Owen Hoffman followed with a public presentation on Carl Sharsmith. To view Dr. Hoffman's PowerPoint presentation click on the first photo.

The meeting of the Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names Geographic Names Cases continued with case discussion and decisions

Thursday (Oct. 4)

8:30—10:00 a.m.: State/Federal Roundtable: Moderated by Bob Julyan, New Mexico Geographic Names Committee & Grant Smith, Washington Board on Geographic Names

10:00—10:30 a.m.: Break (with refreshments)

10:30 a.m.—Noon: State/Federal Roundtable (continued)

12:00—1:30 p.m.: Lunch on your own

1:30—2:15 p.m.: Panel Discussion: Names on Commercial Maps; Will Tefft (Map Link) Moderator: Panelist: Susan Hudson; Rand McNally, Juan Valdes; National Geographic Maps, Crystal Sholts & Jessica Phund; Google Earth

2:15—3:00 p.m.: A Discussion on Place Names Pronunciations of Kentucky Names; Robert Rennick, Kentucky Committee on Geographic Names

3:00—3:30 p.m.: Break (with refreshments)

8:30—10:00 a.m.: The Kentucky Place Names Survey and GNIS Phase II Program

10:00—10:30 a.m.: Break (with refreshments)

10:30—11:00 a.m.: "From Geographic Place to Geologic Formation Name: The requirements for Geologic Naming from 150 years of Mapping at the Kentucky Geological Survey;" Jim Cobb, Director of the Kentucky Geological Survey

11:00 a.m.—Noon: "Kentucky’s Colorful Names and Even More Colorful Place Naming Accounts;" Robert Rennick, Kentucky Committee on Geographic Names

"Engaging students to research local Geographic Names through the National Geographic State Alliance Network;" Scott Dobler Western Kentucky University, Kentucky Geography Alliance
This presentation will demonstrate an ongoing project that engages students from local school districts to add and edit historical information about county names. The Geographic Alliance Network sponsored by National Geographic is one of many potential team members that would be interested in helping with this online knowledge base

"Geology, physiography, and geographic names in Kentucky;" William (Drew) Andrews, Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky
How geologic features have contributed to the geographic lexicon in Kentucky (e.g. "lick”, “slate”, “bone”); the geologic origin of some of the named "ghost towns" in our state, and some problems with definitions of geographic region names

"Taking geographic names to the people ... and back;" Ken Bates, Kentucky State University & Demetrio P. Zourarakis, Kentucky Division of Geographic Information
Geographic names are one of the many Kentucky geospatial data layers used in a multitude of on-line services, used exclusively – as in Gazetteers – or in map viewers, and geospatial data portals. Geographic names provide a way of indexing useful in – through metadata – accessing other geospatial information or data elements. Feedback from users is essential in improving the quality and quantity of geographic names holdings.

“Incorporating Footprints into GNIS: Assessing Procedural and Technical Issues” David Stage, Eastern Cadastral Coordinator FGDC Cadastral Data Subcommittee, Tallahassee, FL & Jim Anderson, Florida State Board on Geographic Names, Florida State University
Incorporating footprints into the GNIS as a part of the feature name expands the utility of the USGS Gazetteer. Utilizing GIS technology it is feasible to use feature names to spatially index collections that use a names database (GNIS). A project was undertaken with the Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center at Florida State University and the USGS Names Board to assess both the technical and procedural issues of incorporating feature footprints into GNIS. The presentation will 1) briefly address the technical implementation issues for transferring and incorporating footprints into GNIS; 2) identify the procedural issues for capturing footprints (feature resolution, ambiguity and stability); and 3) present a strategy for creating and populating a footprint component in GNIS. Images of specific features will be used to illustrate the problems that were encountered, how they were or could not be resolved, the data sources that were used to define footprints and the rules that were developed for defining the beginning and end points of line features or the boundaries of a polygon features.

3:30—4:15 p.m.: A Panel Discussion on Feature Class Names; Jane Messenger, Executive Secretary, Missouri Board on Geographic Names, Moderator; Panelist, Robert Julyan, Chairman, New Mexico Geographic Names Committee, Chris Barnet, MO-DOT/Missouri Board on Geographic Names, & Wayne Furr, Executive Secretary, COGNA & Oklahoma Board on Geographic Names

4:15—4:45 p.m.: New Evidence vs Local Usage: The Conundrum of Name Reconsideration
André Lapierre, University of Ottawa
When new evidence suggests that a name has been mistakenly approved for map and prose-text applications, what principles should guide name authorities in the reconsideration process? This paper explores the case of Cape Francis, a feature near Jacksonville FL, approved by the USBGN in March 1985 in honor of the Huguenot settlers who developed a colony in that area between 1562 and 1565. Compelling historical and linguistic evidence suggests that the name Cape Francis is a mistaken translation of the original French name Cap françois. Evidence will show that a more appropriate translation would be French Cape. If the USBGN decided to reconsider Cape Francis, what importance should be given to local usage of the mistaken form which may or may not have developed since 1985? How would this importance measure up against evidence that the translation, in addition to being erroneous, is potentially derogatory to the Huguenot community the USBGN aims to honor?

4:45—5:00 p.m.: An Invitation to the 2008 Conference in Oklahoma; (Wayne Furr)

6:00—9:00 p.m.: Banquet with Banquet Address: “How some of our town and city names reflect early Kentucky history and historic figures;” Dr. John Kleber, Retired Professor of History, Morehead State University and Editor of the Kentucky and Louisville Encyclopedias

Saturday (Oct. 6): 8:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.: The Toponymic Tour will include the Old State Capitol, Three Chimneys Horse Farm, Switzer Covered Bridge, Woodford Reserve Distillery, the Kentucky History Center and Thomas Clark Research Library Special Collections. The lunch break will be in downtown Frankfort; Field trip leaders, Scott Hankla, Bill Hieronymus, & Bob Rennick

Mr. T. Wayne Furr, Executive Secretary/Executive Committee Chair & 2008 Conference-Chair
Mr. Robert Rennick, 2007 Conference Chair
Mr. Louis Yost, Executive Secretary, US-BGN/DNC
Dr. Andrew Cowell, Past-Conference Chair

Advisors:
Mr. Roger L. Payne, Executive Secretary Emeritus, US-BGN
Dr. Grant Smith, Washington Board on Geographic Names
Ms. Jane Messenger, Executive Secretary, Missouri Board on Geographic Names
Mr. Robert Julyan, Executive Secretary, New Mexico Geographic Names Committee
Dr. Thomas Gasque, South Dakota Geographic Names Authority
Ms. Jenny Runyon, US-BGN Names Coordinator