Hi Nancy Johnsen Curran, Yes, vital statistics (B/M/D) are maintained by the municipality where the event occurred, and this is not necessarily the municipality where the person resided immediately prior to, or immediately after, the event, nor is it necessarily in the community named in the mailing address of the place where the event occurred. For example, for someone who resided in the Hamlet of Hicksville in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County but passed away while at Long Island Jewish Hospital that has a "New Hyde Park, NY 11040" mailing address, the record of this event would be at the Village of Lake Success, in the Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County, because Long Island Jewish Hospital is in that part of the Village of Lake Success that has a "New Hyde Park, NY 11040" mailing address, and not in the Village of New Hyde Park. I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone. I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. L'Shannah Tovah* & Happy 5769, Walter Greenspan Great Falls, MT & Jericho, NY * L'Shannah Tovah (li-SHAH-nuh TOH-vuh; li-shah-NAH toh-VAH) Hebrew. Lit. for a good year. The common greeting during Rosh ha Shannah and the Days of Awe. This is a shortening of "L'Shannah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or, to women, "L'Shannah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." This year, the two-day Jewish Biblical Festival of Rosh ha Shannah (Lev. 23:23-25) will begin at sunset on Monday, September 29 on the civil calendar. .....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.

Sometimes when looking for B/M/D's if your town has a City Hall, you can check with their Vital Statistics person for copies. I did that in order to get the death certificate for my twin. New York State does not give death certs for stillborns, but your local city hall will. Hope this helps also. 'pic'