PNA = Place Name Authority
The polygon idea allows for overlapping areas and removes the arbitrary and limiting construct of a heirarchy.
Polygons allow for overlap so that a city can be part of two or more counties without loosing its identity. The concept of a heirarchy of "places" gets very lost time and time again.
The intent of using township is useful when (at a specific time) a city/village/town did not exist and only the township was a place. This does not in many cases relate well to a map of today, yet depending on how YOU record your data using the township as a location for a burial (for example) can be a correct way to record the place.
You are welcome to do as you please in your "Place" recording, I do not make judgements regarding how others do it unless their information somehow relates to my DB. This is the reason I never copy anyone elses work directly from a DB, book or other resource, I use their work to help me find the original data and incorporate that original data into my work as I see fit.
The polygon idea allows for overlapping areas and removes the arbitrary and limiting construct of a heirarchy.
Polygons allow for overlap so that a city can be part of two or more counties without loosing its identity. The concept of a heirarchy of "places" gets very lost time and time again.
The intent of using township is useful when (at a specific time) a city/village/town did not exist and only the township was a place. This does not in many cases relate well to a map of today, yet depending on how YOU record your data using the township as a location for a burial (for example) can be a correct way to record the place.
You are welcome to do as you please in your "Place" recording, I do not make judgements regarding how others do it unless their information somehow relates to my DB. This is the reason I never copy anyone elses work directly from a DB, book or other resource, I use their work to help me find the original data and incorporate that original data into my work as I see fit.