On 12/13/04 (12:55:39 AM MST), in a posting to NYNASSAU-L@rootsweb.com, Gloria M. Bauer (bauerg@svpal.org) asked, "Hi Walter, I am trying to get the death certificates for: 1. My Father, William Bauer who died in Mercy Hospital in Rockville Center 8 Jan 1974 2. My Great Grandmother Mathilde Krebs who lived in Franklin Square and probably died at home 28 April 1931 Where would I write to obtain these certificates?" Gloria, 2 queries will get two answers. Here's the first: As Rockville Centre is a village in the Town of Hempstead, you should check with the Village Clerk for the Village of Rockville Centre first: Village Clerk Village of Rockville Centre Rockville Centre Village Hall 1 College Place Rockville Centre, NY 11570 Tel: 516/678-9300 Fax: 516/???-???? To eMail the Village Clerk: http://www.ci.rockville-centre.ny.us/emaildir.html http://www.ci.rockville-centre.ny.us/ The pertinent geography for Rockville Centre: Rockville Centre is a village (incorporated in 1893) in the center of the Town of Hempstead, in the southwest part of Nassau County. There are 22 villages and 36 hamlets (unincorporated areas) all or partly within the Town of Hempstead. There are 2 cities and 3 towns in Nassau County. (I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone.) Beginning on its northern border and proceeding clockwise, the Village of Rockville Centre in the Town of Hempstead is bordered on the north by the Hamlets of Lakeview and South Hempstead; on the east by the Hamlets of South Hempstead and Baldwin; on the south by the Hamlet of Oceanside; and, on the west by the Villages of East Rockaway and Lynbrook and the Hamlet of Lakeview. And, as occurs in all but one of Nassau County's 136 communities (2 cities, 64 villages and 70 hamlets), the Village of Rockville Centre has a different border than does the "Rockville Centre, NY 11570" postal zone (i.e., a place can have a Rockville Centre mailing address and not be in Rockville Centre). ................................................acres ...Village of Rockville Centre........2,196 ...Rockville Centre, NY 11570......2,529 Thus, about one of every 7 places that have a Rockville Centre mailing address are not in the Village of Rockville Centre. (Most of these places that have a Rockville Centre mailing address but are not in the Village of Rockville Centre are in the Village of Lynbrook.) For those who have their copy of the 2003 or earlier edition of the LI Population Survey or have already downloaded the report from the Long Island Power Authority web site (eMail me directly if you need instructions on how to access and download the report), you'll find the Village of Rockville Centre (incorporated in 1893) in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County on pages 5 & 8 (map) and 9 (population estimate). I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. Happy Chanukah, Walter Greenspan The 8-day rabbinic Festival of Chanukah begins Tuesday night, December 7. . Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State New York State is divided into counties. County A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government. All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations. City A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter. Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Town A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations. Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets. Village A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services. The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city. A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Hamlet A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in. A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Postal Zone "City" and "Town" A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail. Postal zone "City" and "Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders. Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet location. Please be aware: In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.