Template talk:St. Clair County, Michigan

Communities

Russell Island, Michigan I've removed because it's plainly an island and not listed as a community: not by the GNIS, not by my Michigan Atlas & Gazetteer, and not even by its own Wikipedia article. Harsens Island, Michigan, meanwhile, I've changed to Sans Souci, because the same sources either (atlas) don't list it as a community, or (GNIS) list it as an alternate name for Sans Souci. Nyttend (talk) 16:28, 16 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

So the fact that the USPS will deliver mail addressed to "Russell Island, MI" does not count? That's rather odd. Same for Harsens Island. While the BGN may have decided on Sans Souci, the USPS has a very different take on the matter. "Harsens Island, MI" is the name of the post office. There is no indication that mail addressed to "Sans Souci, MI" would actually get delivered. older ≠ wiser 19:02, 16 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Post offices are surely not the most authoritative names for communities; as well, the article about Russell Island is written entirely like, say, Wheeling Island, except that it's not in a city. With no sources for it being a community — try looking in the GNIS, in which the only Russell Island in Michigan is classed as an U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: island; or use Google Maps or the Michigan Atlas & Gazetteer, which show it only as an island — there's no reason to list it here. I'm not saying that I believe it should never be listed, but that, as long as (1) the sources only discuss it as an island, (2) the article is entitled as an island [using "(Michigan)" rather than ", Michigan"], and (3) the article itself only discusses it as an island, it shouldn't be listed here any more than should be the St. Clair River. Nyttend (talk) 20:32, 16 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, I'd consider post offices to be a fairly reliable authority for community names. I'll grant Russell Island is a bit of an oddity, but Harsens Island does appear on Alpha Listing of City, Village & Township Web Sites from Michigan state government. older ≠ wiser 22:52, 16 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]